Uttarakhand Forest Fire: 4 Arrested, Chief Minister Assures Strict Action

Four people were arrested for allegedly setting fire to the Gangolihat range forest in the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand.

The accused were identified as Piyush Singh, Ayush Singh, Rahul Singh and Ankit.

According to the Sarpanch of Jakhani Upreti and Bhandari villages informed that the four accused had set fire in the Gangolihat range forest on May 3.

Based on their information, an FIR has been lodged against the above four and legal action is being taken under the sections of the Forest Act.

Earlier in the day, as forest fires continue to pose a serious threat in Uttarakhand, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami emphasised the state's commitment to bringing the situation under control.

Dhami emphasised that strict actions will be taken against those involved in the fire incident.

"This is a big challenge for us and we are working on all the possibilities to bring this fire under control whether it is taking help from the Indian Army. We will take strict action against those involved in the fire incident. We are taking help from the Army and will keep doing that," Dhami said.

"Our target is to bring the fire under control as early as possible," he added.

Dhami is set to visit various areas in Dehradun today after postponing pre-scheduled programs and has scheduled a review of the state's efforts to combat forest fires at the Secretariat on Wednesday.

During the meeting, he will evaluate measures taken to control the fires in various parts of the state. Additionally, the review will address drinking water arrangements for the summer and preparations for the upcoming monsoon season.

Earlier, the Indian Air Force said that so far over 4,500 litres of water had been used to douse the fire using Bambi buckets.

"In response to the raging forest fires at Pauri Garhwal sector in Uttrakhand, IAF provided much-needed relief by undertaking Bambi Bucket ops by its Mi17 V5 helicopters. Over 4500 litres of water was used to douse the fires in close coordination with the Uttarakhand government. The swift action by #IAF enabled the firefighting crew on the ground to penetrate and douse fires in a more efficient manner," the IAF said in a post on Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday Chief Minister Dhami will also assess preparations for the Char Dham Yatra, focusing on travel routes, traffic management, and arrangements in places like Shri Kedarnath and Rudraprayag. Given the Yatra's significance, ensuring safety and smooth operations is a priority.

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