With mercury levels soaring, the officials in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) have begun an exercise to put up fire prevention lines by clearing the dried up vegetation.
Continuous presence of dried up vegetation could act as a fuel for spreading the forest fire.
Hence its removal, officials said.
Officials
At present, the MTR officials are on the job of creating a 400-km-long fire prevention line.
The MTR, spread over 321 sq km, has five ranges namely Nilakottai, Mudumalai, Kargudi, Theppakadu and Masinagudi.
A devastating fire broke out recently in the adjoining Bandipur Tiger Reserve which was only 15 km away from Mudumalai.
A team of officials led by Field Director of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve – Srinivas R Reddy and Deputy Director D. Chandran – is monitoring the work being carried out by 30 staff in each range and the exercise which begun 15 to 20 days ago and is expected to be over soon.
Summer showers
Officials said the dried up vegetation would go through the process of termite attack and would decay on its own. With summer showers in March and April and commencement of the monsoon towards the May end, the renewal of vegetation will begin immediately thereby eliminating the risk of forest fire.
Continuous presence of dried up vegetation could act as a fuel for spreading the forest fire.
Hence its removal, officials said.
Officials
At present, the MTR officials are on the job of creating a 400-km-long fire prevention line.
The MTR, spread over 321 sq km, has five ranges namely Nilakottai, Mudumalai, Kargudi, Theppakadu and Masinagudi.
A devastating fire broke out recently in the adjoining Bandipur Tiger Reserve which was only 15 km away from Mudumalai.
A team of officials led by Field Director of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve – Srinivas R Reddy and Deputy Director D. Chandran – is monitoring the work being carried out by 30 staff in each range and the exercise which begun 15 to 20 days ago and is expected to be over soon.
Summer showers
Officials said the dried up vegetation would go through the process of termite attack and would decay on its own. With summer showers in March and April and commencement of the monsoon towards the May end, the renewal of vegetation will begin immediately thereby eliminating the risk of forest fire.