Karnataka: As reserve war rages on, fragile Kappattagudda goes up in flames

HUBBALLI: A blaze destroyed scores of medicinal plants over a two km stretch in Kappattagudda forest, but officers of forest department suspect that some miscreants set fire in three locations at a time when two groups are sparring over conservation reserve status for the wooded region, on Friday.

Official sources said staff of forest department and villagers battled the blaze for more than six hours and prevented its spread to neighbouring areas. Foresters led by deputy conservator of forests Yashpal Ksheerasagar  rushed to the forest after they heard about the inferno.

They claimed that two fire incidents were caused by electrical short-circuit as there are windmills in the vicinity. They also suspected that miscreants burnt dry grass in the third incident. Shepherds have been setting fire to grass during summer as they feel that it would help yield fresh crop for their sheep.

Officials, however, sought to play down the fire saying no major damage was caused to the forest where the blaze was reported. “We have managed to extinguish the fire. We will conduct a thorough investigation to find out the reason for these fire incidents. A staff crunch has hampered efforts of the forest department to keep strict vigil to prevent forest fire,” said RFO M.S. Nyamati. Meanwhile, environmentalists claimed that miscreants had set fire as they failed to woo them to facilitate mining activities in the region.