This is a most tragic brutal casualty of four including a forest guard in Almora in a Forest Fire. This is a burning issue and need to be taken extremely seriously. Uttarakhand is a separate state and has a government of its own having been formed on 9 th November 2000. We have seen 9 chief ministers of two national parties viz Congress and BJP during the past 24 years and the state has witnessed the so called tremendous development, claims of overall developments termed as Rhetorics, thousands of crores being spent in all weather roads n railway projects from Rishikesh to Karnaprayag with the ancient temples witnessing revolutionary development. The state’s fiscal budget that was merely Rs 4000 in 2004 has today crossed 70 thousand crores and state government’s excise department generating a massive revenue annually through massive sake of liquor. While, the state saw the surge in alleged corruption , mafias and builders multiplying and claims of generating thousands of crores of foreign investments, the massive fires in Uttarakhand have become the order in every summer seasons with the state government allegedly not able to curtail or curb it with about 15000 acres of jungle areas having been burnt and damaged this year, leading to the massive destruction of flora and fauna. Ironically, the fire extinguishing guards and staff of forests and wild life including fire fighters etc are usually seen trying hard to extinguish the fire with tree branches , a true sorry state of affairs in this high tech modern era. There are no fire brigades, no sprinkling of water during the eruption of forest fires via choppers though they ( choppers) can be seen earning massive profits ferrying rich passengers to pilgrimage at Kedarnath Dham and other spiritual destinations literally damaging our sensitive and fragile ecology and environment. The brutal killing of four wild life/ forest employees in the Forest Fire in Almora with their vehicle literally burnt badly , charred , is the worst instance of our poorest fire fighting machinery when the forest fire was on its peak at Almora’s Binsar Century. This is unbelievable and unbearable. This is awake up call. My heartfelt deepest condolences to the bereaved families and pray to Almighty to render them enough strength to bear this most irrepressible loss.Om Shanti
