Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India : Pushkar Singh Dhami, the chief minister, has directed that pine gathering be done in mission mode in order to effectively manage forest fires in the state.
According to an official announcement, the Chief Minister also instructed to set targets for pine collecting in each forest division covered in pines, as he believed that this was crucial for effective management of forest fires.
The Chief Minister has instructed the Additional Chief Forest Conservator, Forest Fire and Disaster Management to put the Pirul collection in mission mode at the Almora, Champawat, Garhwal, Bageshwar, Mussoorie, Lansdowne, Nainital, Civil Almora, Uttarkashi, Tehri, Tons, Pithoragarh, Upper Yamuna Barkot, Narendranagar, Haldwani, Rudraprayag, Chakrata, Badrinath, Ramnagar, and Civil Soyam Kalsi Forest Division.
As per the guidelines, it is imperative to guarantee the building of a briquette/pallet unit in each regional range covered with pine trees. This would enable the obtained Pirul to be used in the plant to manufacture briquettes/pallets, which the associated entrepreneurs can then market.
He has made it clear that when pirul is removed from forested regions, there will be fewer forest fires and local collectors will get more money, which will lead to job prospects for the local population.
Establishing at least one briquette/pallet unit within the range-wise pirul collecting target of 5000 hectares has been set as a goal in order to meet the aforementioned targets. According to him, all forest officers will work in tandem with the relevant officers from the Industries and Rural Development Department at the district level, identify potential entrepreneurs, inform them of the resources and assistance offered by the State Government and Forest Department, and see to it that these units are established.
The instructions that have been issued have also made it clear that the Divisional Forest Officer will finish the steps necessary to establish briquette/pallet units under his division in three months (by September 2024) and submit the compliance report. Additionally, it should guarantee that the Chief Conservators of Forests or Conservators of Forests who are in charge of the area will review the forest officers’ actions every fifteen days.