Raging ground fire in forests of Ranchi and its surrounding
is posing a threat to environment.
By
Dr. Nitish Priyadarshi.
Environmentalist and Assistant Professor Department of
Geology,
Ranchi University, India.
“Forest”– whenever we
hear this word, all our mind presumes is – a vast area of land covered with
green patches, which may consist of wildlife flourished with different verities
of flora and fauna, and of course tribal people residing and relying in &
on the forest respectively.
The smell of burning wood flew through the air. Twigs and dead leaves made a deafening crunch underneath my feet. The further I and my kids went in to the forest the more frightened we got due to spreading flames. It was so hot in the forest area that I could almost feel a burning sensation on my skin. You can well imagine how badly it is affecting the wide variety of birds living in the jungle. Being an environmentalist I can access how much carbon dioxide may have emitted due to these fires.
The composition of wildfire smoke is primarily made of carbon dioxide,
water vapor, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, hydrocarbons and other
organic chemicals, nitrogen oxides, and many other trace elements. However,
smoke composition can vary, depending on the fuel type, fire temperature, and
wind conditions. Of these pollutants, particulate matter (PM) is the most
concerning, given their very small size and ability to be inhaled deeply into
the lungs.
Exposure to PM generated from wildfires has been
associated with a wide range of human
health effects, such as wheezing, coughing,
sore eyes and throats, and shortness of breath, to more adverse health
outcomes, ranging from increases in asthma-related hospitalizations, chronic
and acute respiratory and cardiovascular health outcomes, and premature death.
But why did these fires
happen in Jharkhand?
Ranchi has a hilly
topography and its dense Tropical
Dry Deciduous forest a combination that produces a relatively moderate climate
compared to the rest of the state.
Forest fires lit by villagers to collect mahua (Madhuca longifolia ) – a wild flower used for making country liquor – is posing to be a threat to the flora and fauna in Jharkhand jungles. Mahua, which grows in abundance in the forest areas of Jharkhand, falls off the trees during spring. However, these flowers are often covered by a layer of dry leaves, which make it difficult for villagers to find and collect Mahua. Villagers set forest areas afire to clear the leaves and easily spot mahua flowers, which are unaffected by fire. Villagers also make charcoal. On a basic level, charcoal is produced by burning wood in a low oxygen environment.
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