Army, police mobilised to contain fire in Mahabharat range in Kavre

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Jan. 25: The fire that broke out in the community forest of the Mahabharat mountain range in the southern region of Kavrepalanchok district on Tuesday afternoon has not yet been brought under control.

A meeting of the District Disaster Management Committee decided to mobilise the human resources of all agencies after discussing with the stakeholders on Thursday. According to the National District Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) under the Ministry of Home Affairs, a team of Nepali Army, Nepal Police and skilled manpower from available within the networks of the authority have been deployed since Thursday.

The fire that spread due to the fire in Tham Lekdanda, Khanikhola Rural Municipality-1, along the border of Bechanchok and Mahabharat Rural Municipality in the district, might cause fire in other forest areas as well. Tourists are temporarily restricted from visiting the tourist area of​ Narayansthan in Kavrepalanchok.

The rural municipality has said that the tourist area of ​​Narayansthan Temple in Bechanchok, and some areas of Ward Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 5, are currently at risk due to the fire. For this reason, the rural municipality has prevented tourists and the general public from visiting the tourist area of ​​Narayansthan by issuing a public notice.

The rural municipality has issued a notice not to visit the area until the fire is controlled, said the Rural Municipality Chairman Bhagwan Adhikari. 

According to him, everyone, including the local government, police and Nepali Army, is working to control the fire.

“We have informed everyone concerned to adopt high precautions in the fire area,” the official said.

The fire that broke out in the community forest in Tham Leknda, Khanikhola Rural Municipality-1 has not yet been brought under control. 

Chief District Officer Umesh Kumar Dhakal said that a team of Nepali Army and police sent there on Wednesday evening was coordinating with the locals to take the fire control. 

According to him, security personnel have been asked to monitor the fire area and human settlements and take control measures to prevent the fire from spreading towards human settlements and to immediately relocate if risk increases further. 

According to the Division Forest Office, Dhulikhel, the fire started in the forest area at 2 pm on Tuesday.

The District Police Office, Dhulikhel stated that the fire is not under control as of Friday afternoon.

The team sent by the office to monitor the situation for fire control is conducting an assessment of the forest area and human settlements, said Forest Office Chief Krishna Bahadur Thapa.

According to him, as the forest fire is spreading, a joint meeting of the district administration office and security agencies was held to provide forest fire control materials to security personnel, and to identify the person who started the fire in coordination with all 13 local level security agencies and the Federation of Community Forest Users’ under the coordination of the forest office, and to take necessary steps by the Sub-division office and security agencies.

Chief District Officer Dhakal said that a team of various units of the Nepali Army and Police in the district, which has been sent there since Wednesday evening, has been taking initiatives to control the fire in coordination with the locals.

“There has been information that the fire is spreading further, and we, including the security agencies, are sensitive to it,” he said.

As the fire spreads further, additional manpower along with necessary equipment will be mobilised in coordination with other concerned bodies (Ministry of Home Affairs) to control it, said Chief District Officer Dhakal.

Similarly, a fire has engulfed the Mahabharata forest for three days, which is a tourist attraction and a habitat for valuable herbs and wild animals.  

The settlement in the upper area of ​​Bhugdeu in Bethanchowk Rural Municipality-6 is said to be close to the fire. Locals said that it is necessary to protect this area as it is home to valuable herbs, important trees, wild animals and birds.

The human settlement is about four kilometres away from the fire site. The District Police Office, Dhulikhel, has stated that no human or animal has been injured so far.