Ukhrul most affected district by forest fire in Manipur

Our correspondent
Imphal, April 30 (EMN): Ukhrul district was the most affected district by forest fire in Manipur with 1399 forest fire incidents during 2018-19, followed by Churachandpur with 1154 and Tamenglong with 911 cases, Forest official said.
Presenting the department report, the state-level workshop on “Forest fire management” with community leaders here on Tuesday, conservator of Forest (central circle) L Joykumar stressed on the need for forest fire management.

The workshop was organised by the Forest department at the Tribal Research Institute hall in Imphal.
“We can minimize the forest fire in the region if we take up certain steps as 99% of forest fire in caused by man made in Manipur,” said Joykumar.

Creation of fire-lines, control of burning and public awareness and active participation of the community is need of the hour for making a sustainable forest, he said.

Manipur has a record of 56,649 forest fire incidents from 2002-03 to 2018-19.
Shifting cultivation is one of factor of forest fire in the region.

Burning of 1kg of wood releases 1.8 kg of carbondioxide in the atmosphere contributing to greenhouse effect and climate change.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) Kereilhouvi Angami emphasised on the need to revive the old aged practice in controlling forest fire in collaboration with the new techniques.

Expressing concern over the utilisation of the ‘virgin forest’ in the interior areas for cultivation of illegal plants, he appealed the community to rethink and re-examine the positive and negative practices for a better future as life cannot exist without forest.

Additional PCCF Baite called upon the public to practice judicious use of forest products to maintain a sustainable livelihood.

“One match stick can destroy thousand trees even though a single tree can produce 20 lakh match sticks” he said.
Later initiating a discussion cum experience sharing session,

Additional Principal Chief Conservator Dr. Lokho Puni shared the idea of environment protection policy documents to be implemented at the village levels. He suggested holding general body meetings of village authorities to chalk out the strategies or a roadmap at the village-level for protection of environment in their respective village jurisdiction.