Bailadila forests burn for days, authorities suspect poaching link
Drone footage reveals scale of forest damage
Jagdalpur | Correspondent: Bailadila mountains of Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district have been on fire for a week.
Strangely, the fires ignited within forest areas are deliberate and manmade.
Post the end of Maoist activities in these interiors, human encroachment has risen, taking advantage of hunters under the guise of the traditional 'Parad' festival are decimating wildlife.
After drone footage, it was easily seen that the forest fires are not just burning forests but also reducing its invalueable forest wealth to ashes, endangering the survival of deer, chital, wild boars, and rare bird species.
According to Forest Department officials, villagers set fire to sections of the forest to encircle wildlife and drive them toward water sources, making it easy for the fleeing animals to fall into traps. Although 'Parad' is an ancient tribal tradition, reports regarding its commercial exploitation and the trafficking of animal hides are now raising serious concerns.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Arun Kumar Pandey, recognizing the gravity of the situation, has sought a detailed report and issued directives for joint operations in coordination with the police. Wildlife expert Nitin Singhvi has warned that poachers are now exploiting the vacuum created by the withdrawal of Maoists from the region.
He has urged the administration to deploy DRG (District Reserve Guard) personnel stationed in Dantewada alongside Forest Department teams to ensure the safety of field staff and to curb poaching activities.
