Vibrant public spheres based on democratic forest rights needed to prevent wildfires, suggests IGP,
5 April 2021: The India Greens Party (IGP) today said vibrant public spheres based on democratic and forest rights are needed to save the forests and wilds from the recurrence of fires again and again.
In a press statement issued here on the critical situation created by the wildfires in several places in the Himalayan region, the iGP President Suresh Nautiyal said it is a sad story year-after-year. “Governments are not serious about finding a solution to the recurrence of fires every year,” he pointed out.
Recurrence of wildfires in several parts of Himalaya, due to human negligence or vegetation dryness in the absence of adequate precipitation, has not only added to the serious environmental issues; but also, threatened the very ecological sustainability,” said the Green party leader.
“Regrettably, people have no mechanism to fight the unrestricted and indiscriminate fires. They are ill-equipped to save their villages, fields, fuelwood and fodder from the wildfires even as the governments in the Himalayan region, as usual, remain in their deep slumber,” Mr Nautiyal added.
The iGP leader said the uninterrupted wildfires are only adding to the global deforestation despite invaluable ecological, economic, social and health benefits from the forests, made up of thousands of tree species.
“It is sad that thousands of hectares of forest are destroyed annually and this adds to the global greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change,” said Mr Nautiyal.
The iGP President said forests, their #sustainable management and use of resources, including in fragile ecosystems, remain key to combating climate change, and to contributing to the prosperity and well-being of current and future generations.
“Therefore, we must protect the forests and wilderness from fires. They also play a crucial role in poverty alleviation,” the Green leader said.
“In view of all this, we need to develop vibrant public spheres based on democratic and forest rights if we want to save our environment and ecological systems. Prevention of harm has to be the key to pro-people policies and strategies. Those found guilty for the forest or wildfires must pay. This means, polluter-pays-principle calls for strict liability. Besides, a mandatory insurance system against risks needs to be in place, Mr Nautiyal stated.”
It may be recalled that in Uttarakhand during summer seasons incidents of wildfires have become quite common with the successive governments having failed to stop them despite thousands of hectares of forests being destroyed damaging the flora n fauna including loss of human lives. Currently the wildfires in various parts of Uttarakhand have destroyed about 16000 hectares of forests with yesterday’s news showing four human and seven animal fatalities with a monetary loss of more than fifty crores. In Khurpataal Kumaon division a vast fire erupted with forest department claiming to have controlled it. The chief minister of Uttarakhand Tirath Singh Rawat has spoken to the union home minister Amit Shah and requested him to send central NDRF teams to Uttarakhand to control these wild fires. The government of Uttarakhand is using helicopters to douse the jungle fires by sprinkling pressure water etc.
Pic: Free Press Journal
