Nepal, the Himalayan forests are burning
Kathmandu
(AsiaNews) - The burning of thousands of hectares of forest has brought the
mountain communities of Nepal to their knees. This
week, 225 fires have struck areas scattered throughout the region of the Hindu
Kush - Himalayas, causing serious damage to homes and killing wild animals and
livestock. Because
of the few passable roads, relief efforts are struggling to reach remote
villages. The
people accuse local governments of underestimating the phenomenon that occurs
every year during the dry season.
Mohmad
Wakil, Minister for Forests and Soil Conservation National, says: "We are
doing our best to control the disaster, but we have no adequate means because
of the few funds for fire prevention." These
days, the Kathmandu government has launched a fire alert that could last
several weeks.
Tapa
Ramesh, head of the National Park Bardia, explains that in a few days thousands
of acres of forest have been burned, already affected by fires in recent years.
"Many
areas are isolated - he says - and we do not yet have precise data on the
damage caused to persons, fauna and flora".
In
these years in the Hindu Kush - Himalaya coal mines and timber industry have
cleared hundreds of acres of forests and dispersed tons of mercury in soil and into
the air, increasing the risk of fires.
According
to Prasad Sharma, coordinator for the UN International Strategy for Disaster
Reduction-South Asia Wildland Fire Network this week alone 83% of fires that
usually occur in a year were
recorded. "The
high mercury concentration in areas near the mines - he added - could lead to
other devastating fires." He
warns that the line of fire is encroaching on villages. Thousands of people are at risk.
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