The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a showcause notice to Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh state governments asking details of the plans that have been put in place to to deal with forest fires. The NGT has sought a reply from both governments by next Tuesday.
Around 3000 hectares of forest have been destroyed in Uttarakhand with at least 8 deaths reported including one police officer who died of burn injuries.
Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar had on Monday informed the Rajya Sabha that the first four months of 2016 have witnessed over 20,000 incidents of forest fire compared to nearly 16,000 such cases that took place in the entire 2015.
The reply had come in the backdrop of raging fires in Uttarkahand forests. Pauri, Nainital, Rudraprayag and Tehri are among the worst-hit districts.
He had said that Environment Ministry has formulated a contingency plan to deal with forest fires which details the mechanism for coordination during the crisis situation of a major forest fire.
"The plan provides for crisis groups at the Centre, state and local levels which take appropriate action to mitigate any crisis arising out of forest fires," Javadekar had said.
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