NASHIK: Over the past few months, there has been an increase in the number of forest fires in rural as well as urban areas, including the hilly areas around the Nashik city. The forest resources at the top of the hills, along with the mountain ranges in the forest area, are under threat due to increasing forest fire incidents. The increasing incidence of deforestation is becoming a problem for the forest department. Reasons decoded
As there is an outbreak of fire at someplace every day, the headache of forest officials and staff has increased. Deshdoot Times tried to decode various reasons behind these forest fires, with the help of sources in the forest department, communicating with tribals in the different areas, contacting active poachers in different areas, and collecting information from them.
With this investigation, it has been found out that unemployment, misconceptions, poaching, and encroachment are the main reasons behind the forest fires. The increasing trend of forest tourism and trekking is also emerging as one of the reasons.
A large number of fires destroyed the reserved forest areas of Igatpuri, Trimbakeshwar, and Satana talukas, including Nashik in the past few months. Man-made forest fires have destroyed thousands of hectares of grassland, forests, and shrubs. In some places, the saplings planted during the recent tree plantation drives have turned to ashes.
Reasons decoded
Misconceptions: The Nashik district is mainly of tribal tehsils. The tribals in the district have misconceptions that lightening up the grass on mountains increases the quality and ensures better yield next year. They say that it is better for their cattle, as it is the main source of fodder.
Poaching: The poaching in the Nashik district gets unnoticed as most of the poachers live in hilly deserted, and isolated areas. The poachers mostly burn down the grasslands and forest areas for hunting wildlife, mainly rabbits and wild boars. They are least concerned about nature while doing so.
Unemployment: The unemployment in these tribal areas has led these communities to turn back to hunting. Due to lockdown and financial distress, the tribal communities that are mostly daily labourers and farm workers are not getting any employment. Unemployment, increased due to the pandemic, has led to an increase in hunting and fishing practices among these communities in the district.
Encroachment: Another important reason behind the forest fire is encroachment over forest lands. The greedy human beings are destroying forest covers making them barren lands for encroachment. These practices mostly seem in Peth, Surgana, Unbarthan, and Trimbakeshwar forest ranges.
Forest Tourism: As the pandemic has led to an increase in work from home culture, the so-called travelling enthusiasts are heading towards the forest in the district as there are restrictions on the mainland. These trekking tourists knowingly or unknowingly harm nature with their deeds. Lightning up of campfires, cigarettes, and other practices lead to forest fires, which are increasing day by day.
Pankaj Garg, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Nashik West Division has prepared an action plan to prevent this. Under this, a task force has been formed in nine forest range offices. A team of five employees has been deployed in the team and a workshop has been held at Peth, Harsul, Nanashi, Barhe for forest control.
Contact through the emergency room
An emergency room has been set up at the forest rest house on Untwadi Road to exchange information on forest fires in Nashik West Forest Department. This room will be open 24 hours a day. As soon as the information of the victims is received, the responsibility of sending the task force there has been assigned to the emergency room.
Fire Prevention Workshop
Wildlife prevention workshops have also been conducted in forest areas like Nanashi, Barhe, Peth on the Gujarat-Maharashtra border in the district.
