MARGAO
The forest fires reported in the State last month has affected an area of about 4.18 sq km including 2.27 sq km area affected in the three wildlife sanctuaries.
This was stated by Union Minister for State in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Ashwini Kumar Choubey in the Rajya Sabha to a question tabled by TMC Rajya Sabha MP Luizinho Faleiro.
The Minister further pointed out that the reason for recent fire has been largely due to conducive environment, saying that prolonged dry spell, unprecedented high temperature and low humidity had triggered sporadic forest fire across State.
In his reply, the Minister replied that during the first fortnight of March 2023, a total of 74 sporadic fires were reported all across Goa in private land, reserve forests, comunidade land, and protected areas of the State, of which 32 fires were reported in three wildlife sanctuaries in Goa.
“Though most of the forest fires were doused the same day, the fires reported in inaccessible, far flung hilly areas were controlled / doused by ground team with the aerial support of IAF”, he said.
The minister said the ministry supports the efforts of the States/ UTs in prevention and control of forest fire by providing financial assistance for various forest fire prevention and management measures such as modern tools for fire extinguishing, use of communication and information technology, etc.
He, however, said that forest fire prevention and its management is primarily the responsibility of concerned State Governments /UT administration.
To a question tabled by Faleiro seeking details of Goa’s total forest area, area encroached by public areas affected by fire, the Minister replied that as per India State of Forest Report (ISFR)-2021 total Recorded Forest Area for the state of Goa is 1271 square kilometer which is 34.33% of geographical area of the State.
He further said that as per ISFR-2021, the total Forest Cover of the State of Goa is 2,244 square kilometer which is 60.62% of geographical area of the State. “Due to the recent forest fires an area of about 4.18 sq km is reported to be affected including 2.27 sq km area affected in three wildlife sanctuaries”, the Minister said, while asserting that the protection and management of forests is primarily the responsibility of concerned State/UT.
To another question tabled by Faleiro whether the government has set up NDRF to combat such fires and to avoid reoccurrence thereof in future, the Minister said two NDRF battalions have been trained for combating forest fires.
