According to officials, the helicopter carried out multiple sorties over the affected region, releasing around 66,000 litres of water to control the spreading flames and safeguard nearby habitations.
Himachal Pradesh (HP) has informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that it suffered losses to the tune of Rs 52.98 crore due to forest fires over the past 17 years.
The fire that broke out in the forest of Helang village reached Badrinath Highway before inching ahead towards the town.
Expressing serious concern over the forest fire incidents, he directed the forest department to make concerted efforts to address the issue.
Seeing the blaze moving towards the Bhowali based Indian Air Force station area, the IAF began its aerial fire fighting, pouring water streams over the affected areas
The state Task Force chief, Sandeep Tripathy asserted today that the forest fire situation in the state is totally under control now. He insisted that the fire in Simlipal National Park has been contained and only five fire points were reported today as against 26 and 24 points over the last two days.
A memorandum seeking Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Prakash Javadekar's personal intervention in containment of fire in Similipal National Park and other forests in the state was submitted by a delegation.
Manuwar Khan, forest ranger of Nilagiri said that the wildfire at three places has been controlled while Biswaraj Panda the DFO of Balasore said besides the squads the help of Vana Suraksha Samiti members has been taken.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today reviewed the situation and was briefed by additional chief secretary Mona Sharma that the fire is under control. SOP has been issued and DFOs are furnishing daily updates to the district collector.
The CM said that the topography of the state was difficult and construction and maintenance cost of capital assets like roads, health and educational institutions, irrigation and water supply schemes and electrification was very high.
