In an effort to curb forest fire during the entire fire session, the Kangpokpi Forest Division (KFD) has imposed restrictions on camping, trekking and expedition in the entire Koubru Hill ranges in Kangpokpi district, Manipur.
Individuals or groups have to obtain prior permission from the DFO Kangpokpi for any such activities, said DFO Kangpokpi, N Ganesh, while briefing the media on Saturday in Imphal on the certain development taken up by the Forest Division to fight the menace of deforestation in Koubru Hill ranges and other reserved forest in the district.
The DFO stated that a team of forest officials will be dispatched to camp permanently at Koubru peak for the entire fire session, beside conducting patrol and making large fire lines which will act as a break to any forest fire.
The forest department had also laid emphasis on awareness generation by maximum registration of people on FSI Forest Fire alert portal, where as many as 4,980 people have been registered on the portal from the entire state which includes 2,546 from the Kangpokpi Division, he added.
Given the fact that the catchment areas of Singda and Imphal River lie in Kangpokpi District, the DFO informed that the department has also prepared a detailed plan for conservation and development of Singda and Imphal-Iril watershed under Indo-German Project.
He said, of the total area of 2,416 hectares under Singda watershed, interventions are already being undertaken in 1,042 hectares in the form of plantation, soil moisture conservation works, area closure, riparian afforestation, jhum conservation buffer and assisted natural regeneration.
Livelihood activities and entry point activities such as construction of water reservoirs, drainage, channel facilities, setting up of nurseries, empowering Self Help Groups through skill upgradation and helping set up value chain addition units are already underway in five villages of Singda catchment area, he added.
Appealing to the public for maximum registration with regard to forest fire alert on FSI alert portal "https://fsiforestfire.gov.in/registration.php" and refraining from indulging in kindling of any fire in reserved forest, the DFO also insisted on maximum participation of people in upcoming plantation drives to contribute towards green Manipur and green Kangpokpi.
