Fire Breaks Out in Sanctuary on World Environment Day, Raising Concerns Over Forest Protection

Puri:- Ironically, on World Environment Day, a fire broke out in the Talabania Bhoodan forest area under the Balukhand-Konark Wildlife Sanctuary near Puri, highlighting growing concerns over forest protection and wildlife safety.

        The incident occurred on Thursday night when various organizations across the district were observing World Environment Day. According to reports, the fire erupted in the forest area near the Gramya Nyayalaya (Rural Court). Local residents and volunteers alleged that forest department officials failed to reach the spot in time, forcing firefighters and volunteers to take immediate action to prevent the blaze from spreading.

        The fire was first noticed at around 9:10 pm by social activist Saroj Kumar Jena, who was returning to Puri after attending a World Environment Day programme at Nalihana in Puri Sadar block. On noticing flames rising from the forest on the opposite side of the road, Jena attempted to control the fire and contacted senior forest officials, including the ranger and assistant conservator of forests (ACF). However, he reportedly received no immediate response.

          Unable to tackle the blaze alone, he alerted the fire services. Firefighters arrived shortly afterwards and managed to bring the situation under control, averting what could have turned into a major forest fire. Despite the timely intervention, several trees spread across more than 1,000 square feet of forest land were damaged.

Notably, a similar fire had been reported in the Talabania casuarina forest area earlier this week, raising questions about recurring fire incidents inside the sanctuary.

          Environmentalists and local residents have expressed concern over the frequent outbreaks. They attribute many such incidents to careless disposal of partially extinguished cigarettes and bidis, as well as picnic gatherings inside forest areas where campfires are often left unattended.

         Repeated forest fires not only destroy valuable vegetation but also pose a serious threat to wildlife inhabiting the sanctuary. Residents have further alleged that while forest officials conduct regular patrols in government vehicles, effective measures to prevent unauthorized picnics and human interference inside forest zones remain inadequate.

Concerns have also been raised over the welfare of wildlife in the Balukhand-Konark Sanctuary. Locals claim that insufficient availability of food and drinking water inside the forest is forcing large numbers of deer and other animals to move towards urban areas and roads in search of sustenance, increasing the risk of accidents and human-wildlife conflict.

          With wildlife habitats facing mounting pressure from fires, habitat degradation and human activities, conservationists and members of civil society have urged the Odisha government to take immediate steps to strengthen protection measures in the Balukhand-Konark Wildlife Sanctuary and ensure the safety of its flora and fauna.