Forest dept staff bracing up to prevent fire at Nagarahole

The Forest department is getting ready to protect the Nagarahole National Park from forest fire.

The workers are clearing the weeds on both sides of the road by the Mathigodu, Mavakal and Devamacchi forests. The weeds grown around a 50-metre radius by the road have been burnt.

Both the sides of the Hunsur-Virajpet inter-state highway have been cleaned, from Tithimathi Majjigehalla to Allooru. Also, both the sides of the Piriyapattana-Aanechowkur highway have been cleared of weeds.

“Owing to the rain in the month of November, there is still moisture in the soil. As a result, the weeds and grass inside the forest have not dried. The officials are bracing up early with fire lines to prevent forest fire,” said Shivananda Lingani, Mathigodu range forest officer.

“The Mavakal and Devamacchi Reserve Forest come under the Wildlife Division. The forest line will be taken up by the wildlife division,” said Ashok Hunugunda, Tithimathi range forest officer.

“Watchtowers have been constructed at strategic locations to trace instances of forest fire. A team has been deployed to go around the forests and extinguish such fire immediately,” said officials.