Dzukou valley wildfire spreads to Manipur, Amit Shah assures all help

Union home minister Amit Shah called up Manipur chief minister N Biren Sigh and assured him of all assistance from the Centre to contain the wildfire which broke out on Tuesday in Dzukou Range in neighbouring Nagaland and has spread to Senapati district of the state.

Sharing the latest development, CM Biren Singh on Friday tweeted,“Just received a call from Hon’ble Union Home Minister Shri @AmitShah Ji to assess and discuss the situation about the wildfire at Dzukou valley.”

“Amit Shah Ji has assured all the necessary assistance from the Home Ministry to contain the situation at earliest,” CM Biren added.

On Thursday, the CM, accompanied by state chief secretary Dr Rajesh Kumar, DGP Manipur LM Khaute and Deputy Commissioner Th Kirankumar of Senapati district, conducted an aerial survey to take stock of the situation.

The Manipur government had also requested the National Disaster Response Force to provide assistance in containing the situation and had also requisitioned the Army and the Assam Rifles to assist firefighters in extinguishing the wildfire.

The fire broke out in the Dzukou Range in Nagaland on Tuesday and crossed over to the Manipur side on Thursday morning, the people familiar with the development said. Dzukou is a valley located at the borders of Nagaland and Manipur and is a popular trekking destination.

Firefighters, forest department personnel and volunteers from Mao area have reached the area and are trying to douse the blaze, said officials.