Uttarakhand forest fire: Indian Air Force choppers deployed to douse fire

Dehradun, May 1: Around 1,900 hectare forest area was engulfed with fire in Uttarakhand, on Saturday, April 30. Uttarakhand government decided to send MI-17 Indian Air Force helicopters with the help of NDRF , SDRF and the Army personnels to douse the flames.

According to media reports, fire claimed six lives and the identified deceased are three women and one child. Almost total of 1890.79 hectare area of green cover was destroyed. Chamoli, Pauri, Rudraprayag, Tehri, Uttarkashi, Almora, Pithoragarh and Nainital were the worst-affected districts.

Three NDRF team and one company of SDRF team were busy in dousing flame in affected areas like Nainital and Pauri.

"Government has provided enough funds to the affected districts of the state," said Raj Bhawan officials. [Mi 17 choppers to spray water over burning forests in U'khand]

"One MI-17 chopper has been deployed in Nainital region for collecting and sprinkling water from the water bodies in the area to douse the burning flame," said Chief Secretary, Satrughan Singh.

Meanwhile, Rudraprayag region is also taking help of rescue team to douse fire in forest areas. Another chopper is also sent in Pauri to douse the flame in similar way.

Worried over the fire situation in forest area, KK Paul, Governor of the state is reviewing the situation with the help of video conference to the douse the flame while coordinating with the rescue operational teams.

While informing media, Prakash Javedkar Environment, Minister said "Government has taken it up very seriously.They (DG) are taking meetings and guiding local forces.6000 officials have been deployed for fire fighting operations."

"On Saturday,April 30, We have already granted Rs 5 crore and we will regularize it upto expenditure utilisation immediately.From today we have started trial run of pre-fire alert.We are deploying it right away on trial basis," Javedkar added.

Here are some Tweets:

Srinagar, U'Khand: Carried out an air sortie this morn,visibility is low so we landed back-Sushil Yadav (Pilot,IAF) pic.twitter.com/Wtmb9KivYr

— ANI (@ANI_news) May 1, 2016

WATCH: IAF's chopper MI-17 takes off from Nainital to drop water in areas affected by Uttarakhand forest fire.https://t.co/dYPKVUvMCt

— ANI (@ANI_news) May 1, 2016

These choppers will lift water from lake & will use it to douse flames in affected areas: Raza Abbas (SDM, Srinagar) pic.twitter.com/gSt45wkfHH

— ANI (@ANI_news) May 1, 2016

Srinagar, Garhwal: IAF's 11-member team begins fire fighting operations to douse #UttarakhandForestFire today pic.twitter.com/NCIUkjObM9

— ANI (@ANI_news) May 1, 2016

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