CHANDRAPUR, June 24:The Forest Fire Protection Project of the Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM) has started showing results in saving forest from devastating blazes in Chandrapur district.

Talking to The Indian Express M S Bali, Managing Director of FDCM said the fire protection project is implemented as a part of the United Nations Development Project (UNDP). The only one of its kind in the country, the project is being implemented scientifically since 1985, with the objective of protecting forest area in the Chandrapur district.

The total area of the fire protection project in Chandrapur district is 1,92,800 hectares of which 141,146 hectares is under the Forest Department and the remaining 51,381 hectares under the FDCM.

The importance of the project can be gauged from the fact that as much as Rs 22 crore worth of forest would be saved by it during this year. According to Bali, during the first year of the implementation of the project in 1985, forest area affected by fire was about 24,132 hectares or 14.82 per cent.

The percentage went down to 4.24 in 1996. The losses caused during the last decade were reduced to one fourth in 1985.

As a result of the modern fire protection system, the humus content of the forest area has increased, thereby boosting the productivity of the forest. Another positive result of the project has been generation of employment for the local people, especially tribals.

Bali added that as a part of the project, almost 4,000 km of fire lines are being made in the project area to check jungle fires during winter.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.