Mysore/Mysuru: Director of Bandipur Tiger Reserve Dr. P. Ramesh Kumar has said “Precautions are being taken to protect forest resources in summer by taking up round the clock surveillance measures.”

With summer approaching, there is a rise in sweltering heat during the day. With zero cases of forest fires reported in summer at Bandipur forest in the last two years, the personnel are leaving no stone unturned to check the cases of forest fire this year. In all, 500 fire watchers and over 250 personnel are deployed in 13 ranges of the forest to protect forest resources, he added.

A total of 2,876 km of fireline is already built in Bandipur and the process of burning lantana plants removed for the fireline is already completed. Awareness is being created among villagers in forest fringes, besides making an appeal to join hands with Forest Department to mitigate incidences of fire. Even the villagers and tribals in the hamlets have replied in positive in this regard.

 Fire tenders are also being used for the purpose and even the vehicles are arranged to bring the personnel from other ranges to those places where fire is reported.  Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre who inspected the arrangements during his recent visit to Bandipur has also lauded fireline related works.  Every range is provided with blowers which comes in handy in dousing off the fire. Each blower can do the job of five to six personnel, he added.

Weeds on the either side of the roads that pass through Bandipur; Gundlupet-Ooty Road and  Gundlupet- Sultan Bathery Road, have been burnt and travellers have been categorically instructed not to smoke enroute forest road, said Dr. Ramesh Kumar.