No fresh fire, smoke visible at Dzükou, say officials

Dimapur, Jan. 9 (EMN): The massive wildfire that had been raging the hillocks near the Dzükou Valley since December 29, appeared to have been contained completely as no fresh fire or smokes were visible from the base camp on Saturday after a “low intense smoke” was doused earlier in the morning with the help of IAF helicopter.

This was informed by DFO Raj Kumar during the Kohima District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) review meeting on Dzükou fire operation in the office of Deputy Commissioner and Chairman of DDMA Kohima, Mohammed Ali Shihab A, on Saturday.

The officer stated that the a recce-cum bambi bucket operation was conducted at 2:30 on January 9 with DFO Dimapur, Beizo Suokhrie and Sr. Consultant NSDMA, Hinotoli on board an IAF chopper to assess the fire situation, according to an update by DPRO Kohima.

SP Kohima, Manoj Kumar told the house that the ground operation team updated about smoke coming from across the mountain at around 10 am but it was “doused by one sortie of IAF bambi bucket operation” as the team at the base camp couldn’t access the location due to high ridge. He added that no active smoke or fire was reported by the ground team from the watch tower till Saturday evening.

The day’s “ground operation team was led by SDO Kohima, Daniel Angami along with DDMO Thejangulie Zao and SDPO South with NDRF, Kohima Police, Forest and volunteers who were camp at the base camp”,  informed the update.

It was informed that DSP Traffic and his team will replace SDPO South and his team on Sunday. The house also discussed plans for demobilisation of operation team camped at base camp.