MORE CHOPPERS REQUISITONED; ADDL GROUND FORCE DEPOLYED
The forest fire, that has devastated large tracts of the scenic Dzükou valley, was reportedly spreading towards the North side.
Giving an update on the status of fire during the review meeting, DC Kohima Mohammed Ali Shihab said that the fire was moving towards the North in Dzükou Valley as reported by Indian Air Force pilots.
More fire line cutting has been planned in Dzükou Valley as part of the operation to contain the raging fire, besides increasing the number of sorties undertaken by India Air Force (IAF) helicopters.
For this, the State government was awaiting response from the Defence ministry to requisition additional helicopters to carry out Bambi bucket operations.
The State government has also decided to strengthen the ongoing operation by deploying more personnel at ground zero while the Centre has also despatched three additional teams of the National Disaster Response Force to Nagaland on Wednesday.
In a tweet, PRO (Defence), Kohima said that the IAF choppers, besides continuing the Bambi bucket operations, also ferried 3310 kg of fire fighting equipment and NDRF personnel to Dzukou valley from Zakhama near on Wednesday. PRO said that the IAF will be continuing the operations on Wednesday.
A review meeting on Dzükou fire operation held under the chairmanship of Home commissioner Abhijit Sinha in the presence of commissioner Rovilatuo Mor at deputy DC’s office on Wednesday also discussed increasing the stationed forces by setting up more camps in the base camp after taking cognisance of the fact that the fire incident location was far from the base camp.
The meeting further discussed to survey an alternative route to reach the fire sites for containment of the inferno.
The meeting was attended by Kohima superintendent of police Manoj Kumar, Kohima divisional forest officer Raj Kumar, ADC Lithrongla Tongpi Rutsa, National Disaster Response Force deputy commandant and other officials.