With the increase in climate change all over theworld, people are really devastated by the change in usual climate change, likethis year unlike many people all over India had to wait for the monsoon to come,this seasonal change in rainfall has caused a lot of effects on every aspect ofhuman life, not only this the heatwave in Canada had caused deaths in thecountry.
Another effect of climate change is a forest fire, whichhas affected the forest are of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Haryana. Accordingto data, an increase of 196% of forest fires is seen in Punjab, 184%in HimachalPradesh, and 12% in Haryana.
Ashwini Kumar Choubey, the minister of state forenvironment, forest, and climate change shared this information with the ministersin Parliament during the ongoing monsoon session. According to thedepartment under the ministry of environment, forest and climate change namedForest Survey of India (FSI) has shared the forest fire alerts which are sharedby 1.3 lakh registered users across the nation.
In all 214 fire forest alerts have been sent to the authoritiesof Punjab for the fire session by the FSI between November 2018 and June 2019,and the number of alerts increased to 635 in the fire session from November 2020 to June 2021.
As for Himachal Pradesh, the number of fire alerts rosefrom 1,446 to 4,100 for November 2018 & June 2019, to November 2020 &June 2021. Haryana has received a significantly low number of fire alerts whichhiked from 135 to 152 fire alerts.
Further, the FSI also shared the details for the fundswhich were released by the Union Territories as well as by the states under theforest fire prevention and management scheme, the Punjab government released Rs13 lakh, Himachal government used Rs 4.03 crore, and Haryana government hasutilized Rs 49 lakh.
The minister of statefor the environment, forest and climate change said that the prevention of theseforest fires depend on the Uts and union ministry, he further stated that theministry can provide financial assistance and modernize the tools which theyuse for controlling and extinguishing the fire, maintenance of fire lines, usingcommunication and information technology, engaging the fire watchers, creatingwater storage structures and areas, firefighting equipment, soil and moistureconversation, encouraging people and natives to prevent forest fire prevention.