Watch: IAF joins op to fight massive Nanda Devi forest fire; Mi-17 V5 helicopter deployed

NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force (IAF) connected Thursday moved rapidly to incorporate a wood occurrence successful Uttarakhand’s Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, deploying an Mi-17 V5 chopper for firefighting operations aft receiving a petition from the authorities government.The occurrence broke retired successful the rocky terrain betwixt the Alaknanda and Lakshman Ganga rivers successful the Govindghat scope of Nanda Devi National Park, prompting the Chamoli territory medication to beryllium placed connected afloat alert.According to the Central Air Command (CAC), the chopper was deployed successful firefighting mode astatine Joshimath. In an authoritative station connected X, the CAC highlighted the IAF’s operational readiness and its relation successful catastrophe response.

“The IAF's operational readiness was demonstrated yet again, erstwhile the @IAF_MCC responded swiftly to combat a wood occurrence successful Uttarakhand's Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve area. The IAF Mi-17 V5 helicopter, from Central Air Command was deployed successful occurrence warring mode astatine Joshimath to conscionable the request of the requisition from State Govt.

This response, erstwhile again, highlighted the IAF's dual relation successful defence and catastrophe response.”

The Uttarakhand Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) said firefighting operations are continuing with the enactment of aerial surveillance. “Efforts to extinguish the wood occurrence that broke retired successful the Govindghat scope of Nanda Devi National Park successful Chamoli territory are ongoing. At the aforesaid time, reconnaissance and monitoring of the affected country are being conducted utilizing helicopters and drones,” the section said successful a station connected X.

At the inaugural of District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar, support was granted for a chopper survey of the affected area. After the survey, Divisional Forest Officer Sarvesh Dubey told ANI that the Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib are wholly safe.The Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve covers an country of much than 6,407.03 quadrate kilometres and is divided into 2 zones — a halfway portion and an outer buffer zone. According to the authoritative website of Uttarakhand, “The Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, besides known arsenic the Nanda Devi National Park, is simply a spectacular expanse of wilderness successful the precocious reaches of the Himalayas.”