IAF copter deployed to battle Dzukou Valley wildfire

Kohima/Imphal, Dec 31 : The Indian Air Force (IAF) and state authorities are battling the raging wildfire in the famed Dzukou Valley on the border of Manipur and Nagaland, that has so far caused huge damage to the environment.
IAF spokesman Wing Commander Ratnakar Singh said that following a requisition by Nagaland, the Headquarters of the Eastern Air Command in Shillong has deployed a Mi-17V5 helicopter to check the wildfire.
“The helicopter is equipped with Bambi Bucket for fire fighting in Dzukou Range near Kohima,” Wing Commander Singh told IANS over phone from Shillong.
Officer on Special Duty of the Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority, Johnny Ruangmei said that the army, state police, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), forest department, volunteers of Southern Angami Youth Organisation (SAYO) accompanied by the local people and NGOs are jointly making fire lines in the Valley to break off the link between the blaze and the forest.
“We would start the actual dousing process from Friday with the help of the Army, IAF and the other authorities,” Ruangmei told IANS over phone from Kohima.
In several tweets, tagged with the Prime Minister’s Office, Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, who also conducted an aerial survey on Thursday to take stock of the wildfire, sought the help of all concerned to douse the fire.