20190502 Gurugram: More than 400 trees burnt in Aravali blaze
India May 02 2019 “Forest”
Dead : dead 0 or unknown Burnout : more than 70 Injured : injured 0 or unknown
Gurugram: More than 400 trees burnt in Aravali blaze
Updated: 2019–05–02
GURUGRAM: Fire broke out in the forest areas of Bandhwari and Gwalpahari on Tuesday. Over 400 trees and many shrubs of Vilayati Kikkar, Dhau, Dhak and Papri were burnt down in the fire, according to an estimate.
Two acres in Bandhwari and around half an acre in Gwalpahari were affected. The fire department said that three fire tenders were sent to the spot and the fire in Bandhwari was doused immediately. However, the department was unaware of the fire in Gwalpahari.
When asked about the cause of the fire, a fireman said, “While the exact cause is not known, there is some construction work going on near the area and we suspect that a cigarette butt might have triggered it.”
Locals alleged that it was an attempt to encroach upon the forest. “If it was an accident, it wouldn’t have taken place at two places. It is an attempt to destroy trees in the area so that it can be encroached upon. People in the nearby area said that the forest was put on fire by the land mafia,” said Sunil Hasrana, an activist and a resident of Mangar (located close to Bandhwari).
Some said that an increase in the number of dhabas in the area had led to encroachments. “I think the fire was pre-planned. Recently, a lot of dhabas and illegal shops have come up on forest land. All of them should be seized as they are illegal and encouraging others to encroach upon the area. There is an immediate need for a demolition drive there,” said a villager, requesting anonymity.
“We just received information about the fire. We will investigate the case. However, what we know is that the fire broke out on private land,” said a forest official.
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