Bhubaneswar, March 8: Chief Minister on Monday constituted a nine-member State Task Force on ‘Forest Fire Management’ in State under the chairmanship of former PCCF and HoFF Dr. Sandeep Tripathy.
Wildfires have spread across multiple forest areas in the State – mainly the Similipal Reserve. As per reports, it has been more than 10 days since the fire broke out in the tiger reserve located in Mayurbhanj district. In May 2009, this national reserve was added in UNESCO’s list of Biosphere Reserve.
“State Govt has constituted a State Level Task Force under the Chairmanship of Dr. Sandeep Tripathy, IFS to review of ongoing Forest Fire incidents, causes and immediate containment. The Task Force will suggest measures for augmentation of existing fire management protocols,” tweeted Information and Public Relations Department.
The other members of the Task Force are –Jitendra Kumar, PCCF (Member and Convenor), Shashi Paul PCCF (Wildlife), Pankaj Agrawal (DG, ESI, Dehradun), Representative of DG, ICFRE, Dehradun, Head of Forest & Ecology, NRSC, Hyderabad, PK Mallik, CEO, ORSAC, JK Panigrahy, Secretary, Odisha Environment Society and Bijay Agrawal of Baripda.
The Task Force will review the ongoing forest fire incidence, causes and to recommend immediate containment measures.
Further, starting today, a Press briefing will be organised daily at 4.30 PM at Aranya Bhawan, Near Fortune Tower in Bhubaneswar from today for next 15 days regarding Forest Fire Management in Similipal Bio-reserve. Task Force chief Dr. Sandeep Tripathy Tripthy will brief the media.
