Army, helicopters called in, boating halted as Nainital forest fire rages on for 36 hours

The forest department has roped in the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army to help control the forest fire, which has been raging for over 36 hours and has burnt several hectares of green cover. The district administration has also deployed helicopters in the fire-fighting operations.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Puskar Singh Dhami said that Nainital is facing a big fire. “The forest fires are a challenge for us. This is a big fire. We are working for all the essential needs. We have asked for help from the Army." 

"I am going to conduct a meeting in Haldwani today. We have conducted a meeting in Dehradun also regarding this. We will try to control the fire as soon as possible." he added.

The blaze broke out in a forest area near Nainital and has spread near the High Court colony, which is situated near the Pines area and has also affected traffic movement.

Anil Joshi, a resident of the area and assistant registrar of the High Court, told PTI, “The fire has engulfed an old and vacant house located near The Pines. It has not caused any damage to the High Court Colony but it has reached dangerously close to the buildings.”

The fire is also nearing the Indian Army's installation near the Pines area.

The Nainital administration has barred boating activities in the Naini Lake due to the blaze. The forest department has pressed 40 personnel in the fire-fighting operations.

Meanwhile, three people were arrested in Rudraprayag on April 26 while trying to set fire to the forests.

In the last 24 hours, 31 new incidents of forest fire were reported from various parts of the state, destroying 33.34 hectares of forest land.

According to a daily bulletin issued by the forest department, 26 incidents of forest fire occurred in the state’s Kumaon region in the last 24 hours, while five incidents occurred in Garhwal region, in which a total of 33.34 hectares of forest area were affected.

A sheep herder from Tadiyaal village of Jakholi was caught while setting a fire in the forest. During interrogation, the person that said he started the fire to grow new grass for grazing his sheep, Indian Express reported.

From November 1 last year till now, a total of 575 incidents of forest fire have been reported in the state which affected 689.89 hectares of forest area, PTI reported.