Odisha sends team to control fire in Similipal

Bhubaneswar, March 3 : As fire continued to ravage the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district, the state government on Wednesday sent a high-level team to the spot to examine the forest fire situation and control the raging inferno.
Forest and Environment Minister Bikram Keshari Arukh directed the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) and other senior officials to visit the spot and assess the situation.
“I have asked the PCCF, Wildlife to ascertain the cause of the fire and examine the situation. The PCF will submit a report to the state government on Thursday,” the Minister said.
The Minister’s directive came a day after Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javedkar ordered the concerned authorities to initiate immediate steps to douse the fire and report him on the measures.
The Minister was responding to a tweet by Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who drew the attention of Javedkar and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on the incident.
The fire has already spread to Betanoti, Rasgobindpur and Morada forest ranges of the national park, endangering wild animals including tigers.