In a significant move to bolster wildfire prevention, the Union government has granted approval for the felling of approximately 5,000 trees in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district. The clearance, slated for mid-2025, aims to restore long-defunct fire-lines ahead of the critical forest fire season.
Addressing a Decades-Old Impasse
The decision comes after a detailed review of the working plans for the Gairsain, Gauchar, and Gopeshwar forest divisions by the Union environment ministry. Following this, the state forest department has initiated procedural follow-ups with the concerned authorities. This action tackles a problem that has persisted since the Supreme Court's landmark 1996 judgment in the TN Godavarman Thirumulpad vs Union of India case, which banned tree-felling above 1,000 metres.
That ruling inadvertently halted even essential fire-line clearance work in high-altitude regions like Chamoli. Forest officials explain that fire-lines, which act as crucial barriers to stop the spread of wildfires, had become overgrown and ineffective due to years of neglect. "The objective is to make fire-lines functional again, as many of them have become ineffective over the years," stated Sarvesh Dubey, divisional forest officer of the Kedarnath wildlife division.
A Path Cleared by the Supreme Court
The logjam began to break in May 2023 when the Supreme Court allowed limited clearance under specific conditions. This ruling empowered state forest departments to revive vital fire management infrastructure in vulnerable high-altitude areas. Chamoli district, which experiences frequent and intense wildfires during the dry months, stands to benefit significantly from this development.
The urgency of the situation is underscored by data from the Forest Survey of India's 2021 report. It noted that Uttarakhand witnessed over 1,000 forest fire incidents annually in the past decade, with Chamoli, Pauri, and Nainital being among the most severely affected districts. Uncontrolled vegetation growth along the old fire-lines has severely reduced their capacity to contain blazes.
Race Against the Fire Season
Forest department officials have emphasized the critical timeline for this project. The department aims to complete the clearance work before temperatures begin to rise in March and April, which is the peak period for forest fire outbreaks in the region.
"The revival of these fire-lines is urgent. Without clear buffer zones, we risk large-scale damage every fire season," warned a senior forest official. The restoration of these defensive lines is seen as a proactive measure to mitigate the annual threat of devastating wildfires, protecting both the rich biodiversity and the local communities in the Himalayan state.
