Source: The Sangai Express
Kohima, January 15 (NNN):
With the fire at Dz�kou Valley in the Manipur-Nagaland border, still raging beyond control, forest officials carried out an aerial survey and took aerial photographs of the valley to assess the damage caused by the fire that has been burning for the past one week.
Forest Department officials said that the Ministry of Home Affairs had dispatched a helicopter following an SOS by Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio.
According to the survey team, the fire has already consumed about 20 square kilometres, mostly of dwarf bamboo-covered slopes of the valley.
However, the intensity of the fire is decreasing, sources said.
The Indian Air Force had surveyed the valley yesterday.
With the IAF equipped with expertise to douse the fire, the state government has decided to seek assistance of the IAF through the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The Home Ministry is very concerned about the fire and has made it clear that the fire should be put out under any circumstances, sources disclosed.
The Government of India has already assured to bear expenses of the exercise to put out the fire, they revealed.
Nagaland DGP J Changkija has already briefed the Union Home Secretary about the situation in Dz�kou valley, the sources said adding the Ministry is constantly in touch with the State Government.
The team is already in the process of making the report of the survey and would be forwarding the same to Chief Secretary P Talitemjen Ao for approval after which it would be sent to the Home Ministry.