Arun Jasrotia
Udhampur, DD:- The Udhampur Forest Department has put in place a comprehensive action plan to tackle possible forest fires during what the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) foresees as the hottest season ever from April to June this year. Expecting high fire hazards because of scorching temperatures, forest officials have prepared a strategic master plan based on four main principles: Awareness, Prevention, Caution, and Control, all with the aim of reducing damage to forest resources.
As a vital part of this endeavor, forest department units are undertaking village outreach programs with a particular emphasis on the Mand Panchayat region of Udhampur district. These outreach programs educate residents about the proper response to emergencies, provide necessary emergency contact numbers, and deliver practical instruction in laying out fire lines and keeping fires under control until professional firefighting crews can respond to the area.Taking a proactive approach, the department is proactively interacting with people to prioritize essential precautions, such as issuing cautions against setting campfires in hazardous zones. Through these extensive preparations, the Forest Department is prepared to safeguard precious forest assets during the tough summer months to come.Navneet Singh, Divisional Forest Officer of Udhampur Forest Range, has described the department’s elaborate preparations, stating that their approach consists of two major aspects: awareness activities and prevention and control measures. With the approach of fire season, awareness campaigns are being methodically carried out in each block and range to make the residents aware of essential precautions before and at the time of forest fires. Moreover, training programs for specialized personnel have been organized in Jammu to provide human resources with technical skills to help reduce damage to life and property in the event of a fire.On the prevention and control side, Singh disclosed that 12 joint control rooms have been strategically set up across the Udhampur Forest Division, including a centralized facility in the Udhampur town as well as branches in the Dudu, Panchari, and Udhampur ranges. These control rooms also serve as the coordinating centers with the fire emergency services and the police to facilitate smooth interdepartmental coordination. A special helpline number has been designated exclusively for Udhampur district, with Singh encouraging people to immediately report fire-related information. Pointing out that quick response times are very important in managing forest fires, Singh mentioned that in addition to district-level helplines, emergency numbers at the state level are also available. He indicated optimism that these thorough preparations would enable the department to get through the fire season with minimal losses, following up on the success of last year’s campaign. DD
Correspondent, Udhampur