Human errors led to forest fires in Nagaland’s Dzukou valley: CM Rio

The Dzükou valley, which is bordered by mountain ridges with thickets of forests on all the sides has immense ecological and social significance

Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio on Tuesday said the forest fires in recent years which destroyed an extensive area of the state’s scenic Dzükou valley from 2023 were mainly due to human errors.

CM Rio told the state assembly that no individual has been identified or apprehended as responsible for the forest fires so far. (Image sourced by HT)

Major forest fires have occurred in the pristine valley in December last year and mid January till February, posing a significant risk to the region’s ecology and wildlife.

Rio told the state assembly that no individual has been identified or apprehended as responsible for the forest fires so far.

The CM was responding to a starred question raised by Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) MLA Naiba Konyak from Tobu constituency at the ongoing first phase of the state budget session.

On measures taken to prevent forest fires on the valley, CM Rio stated that community volunteers from Western and Southern Angami areas under whose jurisdiction the valley falls under.

He further informed that the state government will also be taking up establishment of watch towers to improve early detection of fires in high-risk zones, procurement of firefighting equipment, fireline creation and maintenance, training of rapid response teams, early warning systems (SMS alerts, sirens), drone surveillance deployment for 100% monitoring of inaccessible zones.

The Dzükou valley, which is bordered by mountain ridges with thickets of forests on all the sides has immense ecological and social significance as it acts as catchment for many rivulets emerging from the valley and adjoining mountain ranges. The larger parts of the valley and adjoining hill slopes are covered by dense carpet of monopodial bamboo (Arundinaria sp.). The forests to the north of the valley provide home and breeding ground for the endemic and rare bird species, Blyth’s Tragopan, the State Bird of Nagaland.

The rare ecosystem comprising the valley and mountainous ridges all around, is a major tourist destination.