Bantal: Angul district is famous as an industrial zone as well as an eco-tourism spot for the Satakosia Tiger Reserve here.
However, it is increasingly becoming difficult to maintain this fine balance between development and environment as the forest reserve faces threat of fire, primarily due to the heavy industrialisation.
The Satakosia Wild Life Division covers an area of 530 sq km and has Pamapasar, Purunakot, Tikarpada, Raiguda and Jillinda ranges under it. The division comprises 144 compartments and 45 bits.
Locals said the rising summer temperature and the ever-polluting environment due to heavy industrialisation in the area heat up the atmosphere, endangering the biodiversity due to possible forest fires.
Since a few years forest fires have been reported in Satakosia. Locals blame it on climate change and the rapid growth of dry grass and Lantana.
So this year, as the summer approaches with its full intensity, the Forest department has braced up to prevent any such untoward incident.
However, sources said the grant sanctioned by the state for this year is way less than the last year’s and the Forest department is finding it difficult to manage resources and manpower with this reduced budget.
In 2018-19, one district forest officer (DFO), five assistant conservator of forest (ACFs), five Rangers, one Deputy Ranger, nine Foresters, 39 guards and 50 Fire Watchers were appointed to assure no forest fire occurs.
This year, fire lines of around 700 km have been arranged by the department. The department has also arranged 60 fire prevention machines, around 100 water rings and pits for animals. Five teams have also been formed to check any such incident.
The Angul Forest department has launched many programmes to create public awareness about forest fires. The forest officials are visiting all villages in the reserve and also nearby hamlets to make people aware about such fires.
If any individual is found starting a fire in the reserve, then s/he faces imprisonment of up to seven years.
PNN