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NGT raps Centre over forest fire mgmt plans

Tells MoEF to convene meetings with states from next week onward

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Forest department personnel extinguish a fire at Ahirikot in Srinagar, Uttarakhand
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The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday, pulled up the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) for delaying work on the forest fire management plans that are to be implemented across all states. A three-member bench, headed by justice Swatanter Kumar, observed that while many states have submitted their 'forest fire crisis management plans', the Centre is yet to reply on them and take any decisions. The bench rapped Deputy Inspector General of forests AK Mohanty, who was present in the Tribunal on behalf of MoEF, for the delay in approving the plans.

The bench made the observations while hearing a matter that was filed on the Uttarakhand forest fires which occurred in the summer of 2016. More than 2,000 hectares of forests were lost to fires.

To expedite the matter, the Tribunal directed MoEF to mail to all states and convene meetings with the states to work on forest fire management plans. If plans are found to be inadequate, MoEF will have to point out deficiencies to improve it and get the final plan approved for implementation. Furthermore, MoEF will have to report back to the Tribunal and submit minutes of these meetings.

Under the Integrated Forest Protection Scheme, each state is to prepare forest fire management plans that lays down all the measures to prevent and control forest fires. These include creation of fire-lines, where contiguous stretches of vegetation, especially of dry leaves and grass, are cut down to prevent fires from spreading. Other measures include construction of watchtowers and roping in contract workers for ground surveillance to check fires.

According to MoEF sources, 21 states have submitted their forest fire management plans out of which four state plans — those of Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh — have been approved. Ten states and five union territories are yet to submit their plans. These include Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka, Assam, Telangana, Meghalaya, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Chandigarh.

MoEF's data shows that there is an estimated annual loss of Rs 300 to Rs 570 crore due to forest fires.

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