FOLLOWING the fourth fire incident that broke out on Wednesday in the Chandpai Range of the Sundarbans within a month the Forest Department has issued a “special alert” in the Forest Range to tackle the entry of people to the forest. It has suspended all the passes previously issued to restrict entry of fishermen, lumberjacks, honey collectors and ordinary people to the Chandpai Range to stop new fire; which seems to be a timely move to protect the forest. We know a three-member probe body on the recent fire in the Chandpai Range has found six influential local fishermen guilty in the fire incidents. They are destroying the forest using others for creating several fishing fields that could hold water during the Rainy Season. Canals and small water bodies in the area are drying out and fishermen are trying to widen them destroying the forest to set up fishing nets. They catch fish worth several crores of taka annually with mutual help from local forest officials. Many suspect big people may have also their hands but their presence is not visible. These are highly disturbing disclosures, but we are sure that the new restrictive measures to entry into the forest would definitely curb the risk of new fire. The move to keep a fire fighting unit ready every time, set-up monitoring towers in the forest and excavating water canals also makes sense. Engaging special patrol along with legal steps against the fishermen accused for setting fire on the forest is also expected to make the forest safe. No doubt, it is a good move, which may however bring results if they are effectively implemented. But there is also a fear that the new restrictions may critically affect the local poor who make their livelihood from forest resources. In our view guilty must be punished but innocent can’t be asked to pay for it. It is clear from the probe report that some people are sabotaging the forest, which is the world’s largest mangrove forest and a UNESCO heritage to mint their own fortune. It is really scandalous that saboteurs now feel free to destroy the natural forest, they must be punished to stop further sabotage to the forest. In our view the announcement of the new alert and restrictive measures would be able to contain the situation. In the last 14 years 19 fire incidents in Chandpai and Sharankhola Ranges of the Sundarbans have devastated huge chunk of the forest. The incidents have suddenly increased this year to show that vested interest groups are out to expand their control over the forest. The river system in the forest is also facing threats with risks of extinction to many animal species. We can’t allow the natural forest to further suffer; its safety must be high on our card.
