RAGING FIRES

A forest fire near Chamba, Uttarakhand. The state has reported 1,966 fire incidents till June 14, affecting about 3,000 hectares, mainly in the Garhwal region. In neighbouring Himachal Pradesh, as of June 14, some 10,903 cases of forest fires have been reported. The estimated loss to the state as of June 1 is `1.16 crore, says state forest minister Govind Singh Thakur. India reported a 125 per cent increase in forest fire incidents from 15,937 to 35,888 between 2015 and 2017, according to the Forest Survey of India (FSI). Expressing concerns over recurring forest fires in the hill states, the National Green Tribunal, on June 11, directed the governments to inform it about the steps taken to control such incidents.