About 700 hectares of forest area in Dolakha catches fire

By Our Correspondent,Dolakha, May 9: After the onset of the dry season, fire breaks out in the forests of Dolakha every year. However, it is not possible to identify who sets the fire to the forest. As a result, the community forests of Dolakha are always at risk of fire.  Locals have said that for the past few months, fires have been breaking out in various community forests of the district. According to the Division Forest Office, Dolakha, about 700 hectares of forest area was burnt in the current fiscal year as of  March. 

The forest office of Dolakha oversees  37,050 hectares of the forest while a larger forest area than this falls in the Gaurishankar conservation area.

Of the forest areas overseen by the Division Forest Office, Dolakha, 683 hectares of forest caught fire at 171 locations, according to the office. There are six sub-division forest offices in the district. 

Divisional Forest Office Chief Krishnaraj Neupane said that the fire spread in 75 places until April 17 and it has now reached 96 places. 

A forest in Thelo area caught fire recently, but preparations of the concerned office to control it have not been noticed. 

In the district, only Bhimeshwar Municipality of Dolakha has a firetruck. 

District Forest Office Dolakha has appointed 10 firefighters to control the fire. The Forest Office has not been able to conduct any other effective programmme other than discussions and general awareness-generating programmes.  So far, only one person has been arrested for setting fire to the forest in the district.  

A case was registered in the court against Shyam Tamang of Bhimeshwar Municipality 7, Makaibari.  Tamang was remanded in custody a few days ago. He is the only one who has been arrested for arson in Dolakha. 

It seems that the office is not paying attention to finding out the persons who set fire to the forests.

The forest fires have damaged the habitats of animals and birds along with the trees and plants in the forest.

Neupane said that due to human carelessness, hundreds of hectares of forest in Dolakha were burnt to ashes. He said that even though the locals know that they should not set fire to the forest, they are setting fire for various reasons such as cleaning the forest and growing good grass.

In some places, cowherds secretly set fire to grow new grass after burning the dried leaves in the forest. When the fire takes the form of wildfire in the forest, it causes massive damage to the forest, flora and fauna.