EMN
Dimapur, March 13
The Dzukou Fire Coordination Committee met in the office of the SDO (C) of Jakhama under Kohima on March 13.
The committee has decided to set up a base camp at Kerho River in Jakhama. Officials from the departments and district administration, police, wireless, Home Guards, medical, IRB, forest, State Disaster Management Authority and local organizations attended the meeting and offered inputs.Southern Angami Public Organization’s President Kekruhol Mekro said that 70 volunteers from five villages namely Viswema, Khuzama, Jakhama, Kigwema and Phesama villages have been
sent to Dzukou this morning to douse the fire. They suspect the fire to have broken out from the valley and spread to Japfu range and Mt. Tempu, about 5 kilometers away from Dzukou.
Local leaders said that they were exerting their best to ‘investigate the cause of fire and identify the culprits.’
Minister for Forest, Dr. Nicky Kire and Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Lokeshwar Rao also visited the base camp and interacted with the administrative officials.
The 14 IR Police have sent 24 police personnel, three UB and four Forest personnel to Dzukou from Viswema and Jakhama to observe and take stock of the situation.
An Indian Air Force helicopter deployed by the Eastern Air Command also undertook an aerial survey of the area. More firefighters and volunteers are expected to arrive in Dzukou by tomorrow to fight the fire.
