Thanks to rainfall and hailstorm at the Pithabata range, Odisha's Similipal forest has been contained. The office of Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) said, “The timely actions taken through different agencies by the State Government have resulted in the containment of the ongoing forest fire in the State to a great extent and the situation is well under control."
“The Forest Fire Points were 290 on March 9, and the latest figure of point inside the forest is 268. The fire in Similipal is totally contained and today only 24 points are detected, which are being attended in the field,” the task force constituted by the Odisha government said.
However, amid the ongoing battle against the deadly wildfire, a video of a woman forest guard from Pithabata range in Similipal shouting and dancing in joy has gone viral on social media.
In the video, she can be seen dancing and thanking the rain God.
Simlipal is a national park and tiger reserve situated in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district. The 2,750 sq km area harbours unique melanistic tigers, rare and endemic orchids, 1,352 species of plants, 55 species of mammals, 361 species of birds, 62 species of reptiles and 21 species of amphibians.
"Apart from the blowers that are already in use, 700 more are being procured to extinguish the fire. The government has decided to give incentives to residents of fringe villages if they join the firefighting operation and prevent its proliferation," Dr Sandeep Tripathy, the chief of the task force on a forest fire had said earlier.
