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Our Correspondent
Jakhama, Jan. 7 (EMN): Amid the fight against a massive inferno that is threatening to spread to the famed Dzükou Valley, a fire broke out on a hillock above St. Joseph's College, Jakhama on Thursday, alarming the residents of Jakhama village.
Sources informed Eastern Mirror that the fire, suspected to have been started by some unidentified persons from near a cultivation area on January 6, had spread to the hillock above the college.
The fire was said to be moving downwards towards Zhodi, a residential area in the village, before it was contained with the timely intervention of fire-fighters, police personnel and volunteers from the village.
Five fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the wildfire, it was informed.
It was also learnt that vehicles plying on the national highway along Jakhama were halted for about an hour as debris and stones rolled down from the rocky hillock because of the inferno.
An official from district administration informed this newspaper that while fighting the fire, they could not access the areas on top of the steep hillock, 'which is impossible to reach on foot'.
However, the fire is said to be "out of danger" and that the remaining fire behind the hillock is slowly "dying down".
Sources from Jakhama village council informed that they are making enquiries to find out the culprits behind the forest fire.
Meanwhile, deputy commissioner (DC) of Kohima, Mohammed Ali Shihab, through a press release on Thursday said that the ban on burning of forest would remain enforced in Kohima till further directions.
He directed all the village councils under Kohima jurisdiction to warn the public to refrain from burning the jungles "which leads to serious loss of public property and also disturbs the ecological balance".
The DC further cautioned that any individual or village found violating the order would be strictly penalised under relevant sections of law and be liable to payment of fines.
"The VDB Grant to the village shall also be withheld till such fines are paid," he warned.