Rourkela: A smart app and WhatsApp are helping the forest department reduce incidences of forest fire here.
"We have been successful in reducing the incidences forest fire to half," said district forest officer. Sundargarh, Arun K. Mishra.
He said the mobile app and creation of a WhatsApp community were helping immensely to alert officials about forest fires. "Besides, the Forest Survey of India (FSI) is keeping a close eye on any fire incident in forest areas through the messaging system," said Mishra.
The system has made it impossible for officials to lie about their presence at the spot.
"On reaching the spot, a forest official must take a photo and upload it in the group. This will automatically send the information to the FSI," said Mishra.
The FSI either sends the information or the department receives it through its own sources and squads.
"Unless the fire is attended, the FSI system will show a red sign. It will turn green after officials reach the spot to take action," Mishra said.
Apart from the app and WhatsApp service, the department is also taking the help of traditional methods. District forest officer, Rourkela, Sanjay Swain said: "Apart from technology, the traditional method is in full use."
As part of the traditional method, forest squads are formed consisting of employees and local residents, fire lines are drawn, and controlled burning is undertaken using blowers.
"Controlled burning is done by sweeping dry leaves around the fire and letting it burn at a confined place," said Swain. The Rourkela forest division has drawn over 500km of fire lines to control the blaze. Mishra said: "We have over 216 squads in six ranges of Sundargarh division." Similarly, the Rourkela division has over 180 squads. At Bonai, similar squads take care of forest fire.
There are sufficient blowers in the district now. "The blower actually blows away the leaves from near the fire and confines them to a place," said Swain.
Only in Sundargarh there are 51 blowers, while Rourkela and Bonai have over 120.
However, both Swain and Mishra agreed that despite efforts and awareness drives, carelessness, goons and age-old practices were behind incidents of fire.
