Not all forest fires are accidental
Some fires are traced to bonfires from tents and glamping stays, a trend catching on fast in and around Kodaikanal; villagers are also blamed for burning the shrubs not just to get firewood but also to prevent wild animals from entering their farms
Perumalmalai, about 15 km downhill on Kodaikanal Batlagundu ghat road, gets covered under a thick blanket of smoke often.
Environmentalists say within a short period almost 30 hectares of forest land have been affected. For the past few weeks, instances of forest fire in this belt are on the rise with patches glowing red at night.
With day temperatures crossing 26 degree Celsius and with no rain in sight, the region is experiencing temperatures conducive for the spread of fire.
Villagers say due to scanty rains in the last monsoon, shedding of leaves has started early and the forest floor is covered with dead leaves, and with the undergrowth also drying up due to lack of moisture there is ample feed for fire.
With tourist season about to start, Kodaikanal residents say active steps should be taken soon contain the fire.
Activist Veerabadhran says strict measures should be taken to prevent manmade fire. Numerous tents and glamping stays, a new trend of ‘living in natural surroundings’ have cropped up in the lower Palani hills. Tourists staying in these places light bonfires and due to the prevailing dry wind the embers are carried into the forest area. to
Careless throwing of cigarette buds and broken liquor bottles, the shards of which heat up the dry leaves and ignite a fire, are major causes, say environmentalists.
Some activists also blame villagers for burning the shrubs near the farm not just to get firewood but also to prevent wild animals from entering their farms.
Arun Shankar, former secretary, Palani Hill Conservation, says some of the villagers go into the forest to gather the produce and they set the undergrowth on fire so that there is a regrowth of the crop.
With water getting scarce in the upper reaches, wild animals have started entering farms in search of fodder. In order to prevent them, the villagers also burn the surface growth near their farmlands.
P. Sakthivel, Assistant Conservator of Forest, says the farmers are to be blamed. “We have started awareness programmes and also constituted a team to track offenders. Last week, in Devadanpatti range, where about 2.5 hectares of forest land was destroyed, we remanded two persons. Right now, in Machur area, seven hectares have been destroyed. In Perumalmalai range, about four hectares and in Perumalpallam about 10 ha have been affected. Two other offenders have been identified and action will be taken against them,” he says.
A crosssection of Kodaikanal residents say the forest fire is a smoke screen for unscrupulous elements who use this period to cut teak and rosewood trees growing in private farms in the region.
The activists claim the forest department is shortstaffed and as a result cutting fire line to have controlled fire is not being done on a regular basis. Maintaining the fire line after every monsoon is also not practised, they say.