Tuesday, September 1, 2009

GREEN GOLD IN DANGER: PART VII: In 62 yrs: 12508.88 kms of Green turns Red

Ajmer Alam Wani
JAMMU, SEP 1: It is now 62 years since partition of India and Jammu and Kashmir State which is luckily still famous across the globe for its natural scenic beauty because of green lash meadows and forests but as the green forests and nature is degrading and disappearing; the state will no longer remain wild and green if the process continues. No doubt the successive state governments have failed to initiate required steps aimed at protecting the forests but the responsible citizens of the state have also contributed much than required to the degrading of green gold in the state. While the entire world has started uniting to fight against the global worming, the state government in Jammu and Kashmir as-usual too has started coming out with statements only of doing wonders to protect the green gold of the state. If the urgent measures are not taken up fast, soon the Jammu and Kashmir, (which was once described as Paradise on the Earth) will become a desolate piece of land. The forest area in the state is rapidly declining because of extensive deforestation, encroachments, smuggling and forest fires. Since 1947 official records revealed that 12 999 fire incidents have taken place in Jammu and Kashmir State in which 12508.88 kilometers of forest area has burnt. But the actual figures could be much more. During 1947-48, 929 fire incidents took place in which 19.19 kilometers of forest area was affected. During 1950-52, 42 fire incidents took place in which 80.81 kilometers of forest area was affected while during the year 1966-67, 581 fires incidents took place in which 40.50 kilometers of forest was affected. In between1967-68, 507 fires incidents took place in which 61.95 kilometers of area was affected while in between 1968-69, 433 fire incidents took place in which 42.44 kilometeres of forest area was affected. During the year 1969- 70, 894 fire incidents took place in which 127.54 kilometers of forest area was affected while in between 1970-71, 558 fire incidents took place in which 63.81 kilometers of forest area was affected. During the year 19071-72, 296 fire incidents took place in which 10.32 kilometers of forest are was affected while in between 1972-73, 465 fire incidents took place in which 65.21 kilometers of forest area was affected. In between 1973-74, 283 fire incidents took place in which 65.21 kilometers of forest area was affected while 1974-75, 518 fire incidents took place affecting 39.30 kilometers of forest area. During the year 1975-76, 305 fire incidents took place in which 8.70 kilometers of area was affected while in between 1976-77, 213 fire incidents took place affecting 14.16 kilometers of area. In between 1977-78, 100 fire incidents were reported affecting 3.64 kilometers of forest area while during 1978-79, 338 fire incidents took place in which 20.84 kilometers of forest area was affected. In-between 1979-80, 104 fire incidents took place affecting 7.16 kilometers of forest area while during 1980-81, 69 fire incidents took place affecting 25.22 kilometers of forest area. During the year 1981-82, 230 fire incidents took place in which 25.58 kilometers of forest area was affected while 1982-83, 48 fire incidents were reported affecting 211.84 kilometers of forest area. In between 1983-84, 30 fire incidents were reported affecting 3.93 kilometers of forest area while during the year 1984-85, 301 fire incidents took place affecting 21.65 kilometers of forest area. In between the year 1985-86, 218 fire incidents took place affecting 87.1 kilometers area while during 1986-87, 47 fire incidents took place affecting 3.93 kilometers of forest area. In between the year 1987-88, 451 fire incidents took place affecting 14.82 kilometers of area while during 1988-89, 274 fire incidents took place in which 16.51 kilometers of area was affected. In between the year 1989-9-, 230 fire incidents took place affecting 7.1 kilometers of forest area while during the year 1990-91, 190 fire incidents took place in which 3.6 kilometers of area was affected. In between the year 1991-92, 210 fire incidents took place affecting 8.4 kilometers of forest area while during 1992-93, 230 fire incidents took place affecting 9.1 kilometers of forest area while 1993-94, 246 fire incidents took place in which 6.5 kilometers of area was affected. During 1994-95, 220 fire incidents took place affecting 7.2 kilometers of forest area while in between 1995-96, 175 fire incidents took place in which 15.34 kilometers of forest area was affected. During the year 1996-97, 274 fire incidents took place affecting 16.51 kilometers area while in between 1997-98, 69 fire incidents took place affecting 25.22 kilometers area. During the year 198-99, 369 fire incidents took place in which 35.00 kilometers of forest area was affected while 1999-2000, 506 fire incidents took place affecting 14.00 kilometers of forest area. In-between 2000-01, 251 fire incidents took place affecting 7.07 kilometers of area while during 2001-02, 114 fire incidents took place affecting 6.59 kilometers of forest area. During 2002-03, 432 fire incidents took place affecting 31.92 kilometers of forest area while in between 2003-04, 104 fire incidents took place affecting 11.17 kilometers was affected. In between 2004-05, 64 fire incidents took place affecting 5.02 kilometers of forest area while during 2005-06, 327 fire incidents took place affecting 12.72 kilometers of forest area. In 243 reported fire incidents, 941.16 hectares of forest land was affected during the year 2006-07. Relevant to mention here that during 2007-08, 1746.70 hectares of forest land was burnt in 517 fire incidents across the Jammu and Kashmir state. 74 hectares of forest area was burnt in 28 fire incidents occurred in Forest Division Ramban while 25.95 hectares of forest land was burnt in 4 fire incidents in Forest Division Udhampur during 2007-08. In the same year, 12.5 hectares of forest area was burnt in 3 fire incidents in Forest Division Kathua while 68.30 hectares of forest area was burnt in 37 fire incidents in Forest Division Marwah. In Forest Division Batote, 83.80 hectares of forest land was burnt in 60 fire incidents occurred in 2007-08 while in Langate Forest Division, 50.95 hectares of forest land was burnt in 21 fire incidents in 2007-08. In Forest Division Lidder, 94-60 hectares of forest land was burnt in 11 fire incidents in 2007-08 while 42.17 hectares of forest land was burnt in 16 fire incidents in Forest Division Anantnag during 2007-08. In Forest Division Doda, 13.95 hectares of forest area was burnt in 25 fire incidents occurred during 2007-08 while in Forest Division Reasi, 411.50 hectares of forest land was burnt in 47 fire incidents in the same period. During the year 2007-08, 9.00 hectares of forest land was burnt in the Forest Division Kehmil Karalpora in 22 fire incidents while 6 hectares forest area was burnt in 7 fire incidents in Forest Division Jammu during 2007-08. In Chittrnar-Bandipora Forest Division, 27 hectares forest land was burnt in 10 fire incidents during 2007-08. In Ramnagar Forest Division, 9.5 hectares forest area was burnt in 11 forest fires during 2007-08 while in Forest Division Mahore, 76.40 hectares of forest area was burnt in 19 fire incidents during 2007-08. In Nowshera Forest Division, 131.40 hectares forest land was burnt in 71 forest incidents during 2007-08 while in Forest Division Rajouri, 70.37 hectares of forest land was burnt in 11 forest fires during 2007-08. During the same period, 134.02 hectares of forest area was burnt in Billawar Forest Division in 13 fires incidents while 125 hectares of forest area was burnt in Sindh Forest Division in 8 fire incidents during 2007-08. In Budgam Forest Division, 6.52 hectares of forest area was burnt in 4 fire incidents while in Baramulla Forest Division, 184.75 hectares of forest area was burnt in 31 fire incidents during 2007-08. In Kamraj Forest Division, 21.02 hectares of forest area was burnt in 21 fire incidents while in Shopian and Poonch Forest Divisions no fire incident was reported during 2007-08. In Bhaderwah Forest Division, 6 hectares of forest land was burnt in 2 fire incidents during 2007-08 while in Kishtwar Forest Division, 65 hectares of forest area was burnt in 35 fire incidents during 2007-08. According to official figures, in total 12,999 fire incidents took place across the state in which 12508.88 kilometers of green forest area was burnt and turned in to red. Though the Minister for Forests, Mian Altaf in the recent past had asked for keeping seasonal fire watchers ready for monitoring the forests in the drier months to check such fire incidences but in view of the spurt in the incidence of forest fires, governments has to take stern action against the mischief mongers involved in these forest fires so that the precious green gold is preserved from destruction.