Express News Service
GUWAHATI: Ten days later, no active fire was spotted in areas near the ecologically-sensitive Dzukou Valley on the Nagaland-Manipur border on Friday.
Official sources in both states confirmed it.
“No active fire was spotted today. However, smoke was found in three locations. It was controlled in two of them. The third could not be reached,” Rajkumar M, who is the Divisional Forest Officer of Kohima in Nagaland, said.
He said over 150 personnel of the police, National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, forest department besides local volunteers, stationed at a base camp, would try to reach the spot on Saturday and control the smoke.
His Senapati counterpart in Manipur D John Sha said neither fire nor smoke was detected on the day.
“There was no active fire. There was also no smoke. Things are almost under control now on our side,” the forest officer said.
The Indian Air Force (IAF), which deployed four helicopters to douse the inferno, said it would continue its mission on Saturday.
“The IAF helicopters will continue the mission to assist fire-fighting at Dzukou Valley tomorrow,” Shillong-based Wing Commander Ratnakar Singh said.
The choppers, which used Bambi Buckets to tame the fire, were requisitioned by the Nagaland government. The Manipur government had also sought the Centre’s help in controlling the situation.
The Dzukou Valley is known for its natural environment, seasonal flowers, and flora and fauna and is a popular tourist destination.