Bandipora 31 Mar 2018
Amid raging fires since last five days, the people in district Bandipora woke up to black smoke today morning.
Residents of villages Aythmullah, Ajar, Sonrwani, Madar, Greenland Colony and Arampora told that they are facing suffocation as there seems to be no end to the fire. People in 17 wards also complained of suffocation.
The people of the district have appealed the government agencies to come forward.
Many residents in Bandipora told that the government is showing least concern to overcome the crisis.
“Since last two days we’ve experienced an unprecedented air pollution,” a local, Ghulam Muhmmad Wani told media sources.
Locals in the area accused forest department of negligence. They said the department was caught napping till fire engulfed the entire area.
A local, Reyaz Ahmed, told media that: “By the time we realized what had happened, flames had already engulfed the entire forest area. No one from the forest department came to deal with the situation.”
The forest department, however, denied allegations and said that teams were sent to put out the fire.
DFO Bandipora Abdul Hameed Malla told reporters that they are on job and doing everything to overcome the crisis.
Five days ago, a massive fire damaged vast forest areas in the Ajas range and two days back another fire engulfed vast areas of Athwatoo, Panar and Onagam.
The latest fire broke out from a forest patch near Range Office Bandipora and engulfed a huge area.
Six forest guards and a forester sustained injuries while dousing the massive fire.
Officials who sustained injuries during the fire fighting operation were identified as forester Tahir Zulla and Ghulam Hassan, Abdul Rashid, Fayaz Ahmad, Towseef Ahmad, and Ghulam Muhammad Sofi.
