The Uttarakhand government is set to raise the insurance coverage for fire watchers, who play a crucial role in controlling forest fires, from ₹5 lakh to ₹10 lakh. Additionally, the state has requested ₹400 crore assistance from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to strengthen forest fire control measures. A meeting regarding this demand is scheduled for March 18.
Every summer, forest fire incidents increase in Uttarakhand, and the Forest Department deploys around 4,500 fire watchers to manage and extinguish these fires effectively.
Severe Damage from Last Year’s Fires
Last year, devastating forest fires in Uttarakhand resulted in multiple deaths and significant damage to forest resources. Following this, the state government submitted a five-year action plan to the Centre requesting ₹400 crore for improved forest fire management and resources.
The upcoming meeting on March 18 will discuss this proposal. The state government is hopeful for a positive response from the Centre to secure necessary resources for the Forest Department.
