Boudh/Talagaon: Even as dousing forest fire in Similipal National Park has posed a stiff challenge for the state government, the inferno is spreading rapidly in the reserve forests in Boudh district before the start of the summer season, a report said.
The district has a vast forest cover over of 92,477 hectares over five forest ranges in Boudh district.
Reports said that, the forests in over seven forest ranges like Kantamal, Manmunda, Boudh, Purunakatak and Madhapur have come under the grip of wildfire. This has happened despite the spending by the government for protection of forests.
The wildfire is showing no sign of abetment causing serious loss of vegetation, wildlife and medicinal plants inside the reserve forests. The forest officials have failed in extinguishing fire despite their best efforts.
As a result, wild animals and birds stray into human habitats to save their lives. The rush of wild animals to human habitats has spread panic among residents. This has sparked fear of rise in man-animal conflict in the area.
Residents in the villages close to the forest are passing through tense moments least the fire does not spread to their villages and burn down their houses and properties.
The forest and the fire personnel have tried all tricks in the book to douse the fire but in vain which is spreading fast in the area. Flames can be seen raging in the Mundeswar reserve jungles on the roadside of national highway about 2 km from the Madhapur forest range office while the forest officials despite their best efforts have failed to douse it.
The fire has given rise to heavy smoke in the area which has caused serious discomfort to the commuters on travelling on the highway. The raging forest fire is likely to wreak damage to the biosphere and the flora and fauna in the jungle.
This is highly indicative of the condition of other forests in the remote and interior corner of the district.
Observers said a major portion of the district is locked by hills and forests and inhabited by tribals where the majority of the residents earn their living from cultivation, working as a casual labourer and by collecting minor forest produce.
However, the inferno has dealt a heavy blow to their livelihood by burning the forest produce into ashes. The fire is raging with a corresponding rise in atmospheric temperature.
PNN