A man has been arrested by the forest department for allegedly setting fire to a reserved forest area near Mauje Kasani village in Satara district, causing damage to approximately four hectares of forest land.
Incident Details
Range Forest Officer Sandeep Jopale informed that forest guard Prakash Shinde from the Rohot range was on regular patrol in the Kasani area (Forest Compartment No. 268) when he spotted the accused, identified as Sakharam Kondiba Badapure, deliberately setting fire to the forest. Shinde immediately alerted officials, leading to the arrest of the accused.
Legal Action
A case has been registered against Badapure under Section 26(1)(b)(f) of the Indian Forest Act, 1927. The accused has confessed to the crime. According to the provisions of the Act, the offender could face imprisonment of up to one year, a fine of up to Rs 5,000, or both.
The forest fire was brought under control after significant efforts by the forest department personnel. Officials have urged citizens to report any such incidents to the forest department to help protect the region's biodiversity and prevent future damages.
