Uttarakhand Forest Fire: Officers Suspended Amid Tragedy

Two forest officers were suspended after a tragic fire at Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttarakhand killed four people. The Chief Minister condemned the negligence and assured strict actions. Meanwhile, efforts to control the forest fire are underway with help from various agencies.

Two forest officers were suspended for negligence on duty after four people were killed in a forest fire at the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary in the Almora district in Uttarakhand, officials reported on Friday.

Speaking to reporters, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami asserted that this action serves as a warning to all officers. 'For a long time, we have been instructing higher officials to take ground-level stock of situations and avoid any negligence,' he remarked.

According to the official order, Forest Conservator of North Kumaon Circle of Almora, Coco Rose and Divisional Forest Officer Dhruv Singh Martolia of Civil Soyam Forest Division have been suspended with immediate effect due to their negligence in the tragic incident.

In the aftermath of the fire that broke out on Thursday, eight forest workers were dispatched to douse the flames. Tragically, four of them perished due to the fire's rapid escalation driven by strong winds. The incident also left four others injured and caused the vehicle to catch fire, resulting in complete damage.

The injured were quickly transported first to Sushila Tiwari Base Hospital in Halwani and later airlifted to AIIMS in Delhi for advanced treatment.

Expressing deep sorrow, the Chief Minister announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh each for the families of the deceased, while the World Wide Fund for Nature (India) pledged an additional Rs 3 lakh each.

Efforts to control the forest fire continue with significant aid from the army, forest personnel, and the National Disaster Response Force.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)