The deadly wild fires and pollution in Ganga: What made headlines in 2024

Uttarakhand was rocked by several environmental challenges and disasters, including one of the deadliest wildfire seasons that claimed 12 lives, the state reporting the country's highest forest fires, rain fury in Kedarnath valley prompting authorities to rescue over 12,000 pilgrims, National Green Tribunal's (NGT's) questioning the state government over not conducting the carrying capacity of Char Dhams and pollution in the Ganga, especially in Gangotri, the source of Ganga.

- Neeraj Santoshi

DEHRADUN:

One of deadliest forest fire seasons With the death of 12 people in wildfires, this year's forest fire season has been the deadliest in the state since 2021, when eight people were killed. In June, six forest workers were killed while extinguishing a fire at the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary in the Almora district. This was the second such incident in Almora this year. In May, four labourers employed were killed while trying to douse a forest fire in Someshwar tehsil. This year overall, 1,771 hectares of forest land have been damaged in 1,276 forest fire incidents.

In comparison, last year, 933 hectares of forest land were damaged in 733 forest fires, causing death of three people. This has prompted the forest department to review and clear forest lines in the state, to check the spread of forest fires and link the village heads, heads of Mahila Mangal Dals and Yuvak Mangal Dals of villages adjoining 12 forest divisions, which are highly sensitive from the fire point to the department's fire alert system.

Forest lines are spaces in forests that help in preventing the spread of forest fires. According to forest officials, there should be a 100-feet fire line between two forest divisions, 50-feet fire line between two ranges and 30-feet fire line between different beats.

In October this year, the principal bench of NGT appointed environmentalist and Supreme Court lawyer Gaurav Kumar Bansal as the amicus curie.

In his report to the green panel, he made suggestions through which the state government can effectively deal with the forest fires in the Himalayan state.

One of the suggestions pointed out that the Uttarakhand government should be directed to review its fire lines, which is essential for effective fire management, as the same has not been done for quite a long time.