Forest fires remain a raging issue
Wednesday, 11/07/2012
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120711/punjab.htm#2
When the voters of Dasuya exercise their franchise tomorrow, one thing uppermost on their minds would be that no politician addressed two of their long-pending demands: tackling bushfires and promoting industrialisation.
In the run-up to tomorrow’s bypoll, no party raised these issues even though politicians from both the ruling SAD-BJP alliance and the Opposition Congress made their presence felt with fiery speeches.
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal spoke, among other things, about rising inflation whereas Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh targeted the state government in his speeches.
Residents complain that unemployment had risen as the area lacked industry, “a factor that could be blamed for rising drug abuse among the youth”.
Sudesh Bhatti, a municipal councillor, says, “The SAD-BJP combine had assured before the 2007 elections that efforts will be made to bring in industry. But five years down the line, nothing has happened.” Bushfires in ‘kandi’ (sub-mountainous) belt, which has a heavy forest cover, too is a key issue.
Kandi area comprises more than half of the total area of the Dasuya assembly seat. In May and June (two of the hottest months) every year, there are a number of forest fires, the most visible being the ones between Kamahi Devi and Dataarpur. These fires are mostly caused by the negligence of locals, but people say they can be controlled to some extent if Dasuya has a fire station.
Neither Dasuya nor neighbouring Talwara has a fire station and in case of an emergency, fire tenders have to be rushed either from Hoshiarpur or the BBMB at Talwara. Though the Army has a fire station at nearby Unchi Bassi Cantonment, sources say requisitioning fire tenders from there is a tedious process as permission from local SDM has to be taken before calling a fire tender.
Arjun Singh of Dataarpur says, “Governments have come and gone, but nobody seems to have any interest in addressing the issue. More than 20 fire incidents were witnessed in May and June alone.” Officials of the Forest Department say that apart from damaging trees, a large number of wild animals also perish in forest fires every year.
