Gir forest fire: Was it sabotage?

Was Tuesday’s wildfire in Gir forest a result of some accident or deliberately started by poachers to divert foresters’ attention? The wildfire that gutted over 300 hectares of deciduous grassland and forest in Mitayala has both foresters and wildlife experts very worried. They suspect that the blaze may have been started by poachers to distract foresters and guards, and divert their energies away from guarding against poachers to controlling the fire.

While the forest department is investigating what started the fire, it is known from past experience (though never proven) that such fires are frequently started by criminal elements to divert foresters’ attention so that poachers can kill wildlife or steal other forest produce without getting caught. Sources said that such fires are also started to discredit the forest department or sometimes simply to settle scores with some forest personnel.

Talking about the fire that broke out on Tuesday, the conservator of forests, Junagadh, MM Sharma, said the forest fire was very small at the beginning but it soon spread over a wide area because of strong winds. “Around 300 to 500 hectares of deciduous forest may have been lost,” Sharma said. “We have to investigate the cause of the fire but the possibility of this being a deliberate act by some local people cannot be ruled out.”

Environmentalist Manish Vaidya, who is closely involved with wildlife conservation in the country, said that there could be many causes of the fire.