Fire destroys rare pine trees in Belur

Hundreds of rare pine trees were destroyed in an accidental fire near Bommadihalli near Bikkodu in the taluk on Monday.

The region near Forest Research Centre (Aranya Samshodhana Kendra) boasts of being the only forest in South India having pine trees. Usually, pines are found only on the hills near Himalayas. Such trees are not found anywhere else in South India.

 Turpentine and paper used in currency notes  are manufactured from these pine trees. There are around 4,000 such trees in the region, that is said to be 50 years old.

Hundreds of trees were burnt on Monday afternoon. As the forest guards were at Jagaboranahalli forest area, there was a delay in extinguishing the fire. Forest guards Ningaraju and Kantharaju, along with locals, tried to douse the flames and even sustained burn injuries.

Steps to save treesThe locals complained that no research was being conducted at the centre. 

The Forest officials should take measures to protect the region and the rare trees from future fire mishaps, they demanded.