In order to reduce the fire, construction of fire lines and cleaning has been started in different forests including communities across the district. As part of the fire prevention campaign, information was given about the concept of awareness and early notification among the locals, forest users committee officials and consumers.
According to Sharda Prasad Chalise, the team leader of Green Volunteers, which is operated from Division Forest Office Chautara, an awareness campaign has been conducted in more than 50 forests across the district along with the construction of fire lines and cleaning. The campaign has been completed in 10 community forests including Bhirkhark, Sunkoshi, Nagidanda, Deurali Pakha, Tadbisauna.
Forest officials and locals were trained by Santosh Humagai of Barhbise, a green volunteer and sub-division forest office, on how to prevent fires from happening and how to prevent them from starting. "A fire line has been made in the forest here and cleaning has also been done, the method of making a fire line has also been taught," he said. Nepali army's Jaletar barracks, long-armed security personnel of the armed police are also participating in the
campaign. Fire swatters, rakes, jump suits, and helmets were handed over to the armed forces and the army for the construction of fire lines and fire fighting equipment.
Earlier, forest fires in various parts were brought under control by the initiative of Harit Swamysevak. Chalise said that some time ago, a person who set fire to the Bhagwati community forest located in Chautara Sangachokgadhi-5 was arrested by the Green Volunteers and handed over to the forest and fined.
A campaign and awareness campaign has been conducted at various local levels with the slogan 'green forest environment of Indus to prevent the destruction of San forest. According to District Police Sindhupalchok, so far more than 82 hectares of forests in a dozen forest areas including Bhotekoshi, Tripurasundari Rural Municipality, Jugal and Liskhu Rural Municipality under Gaurishankar conservation center have been destroyed by fire. The police said that there were no human casualties in the fire and the fire has been brought under control in all the forests.
50,000 reward for informers
Helambu Rural Municipality has organized a reward campaign as part of the campaign to control the problem of wildfires. According to Helambu rural municipality chairman Nimagyalzen Sherpa, the rural municipality has arranged to give a reward of 50,000 to those who provide information about the person or group who started the fire.
Earlier, the Helambu government issued a notice informing about this award. It has been mentioned that action will be taken according to the prevailing rules including sub-section (4) of section 50 of the Forest Act 2076, asking everyone, including the Helambu residents, not to do any activities that set fire to the forest.
