Four individuals, Piyush Singh, Ayush Singh, Rahul Singh, and Ankit, have been arrested for allegedly setting fire to the Gangolihat range forest in Pithoragarh district on May 3. The arrests were made after the village heads of Jakhani Upreti and Bhandari alerted authorities. An FIR has been filed against the accused under relevant sections of the Forest Act.
As forest fires continue to rage across the state, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami vowed strict action against those involved and stated the government's commitment to controlling the situation, including seeking assistance from the Indian Army.
"This is a big challenge, and we are exploring all possibilities to bring this fire under control, whether it's taking help from the Indian Army. Strict action will be taken against those involved," Dhami said. He plans to visit affected areas in Dehradun on May 7 and will review the state's firefighting efforts on May 8.
The Indian Air Force has already deployed Mi-17 V5 helicopters for firefighting operations, using Bambi buckets to drop over 4,500 liters of water on the fires in close coordination with state authorities.
In addition to assessing the fire situation, Dhami will also review preparations for the upcoming Char Dham Yatra, focusing on travel routes, traffic management, and arrangements at sites like Kedarnath and Rudraprayag.