Shimla, May 19 -- Amid rising temperatures and increased risk of wildfires, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Sunday directed the Forest Department to take swift, coordinated action to prevent and control forest fires across the state.
The Chief Minister, chairing a Pricing Committee meeting in Shimla, emphasized the need for immediate response mechanisms, stressing that forest fire operation services must be activated without delay at the first sign of a blaze. He called for active participation of local communities in early detection and prevention efforts. "People living near forests are our first line of defence. Their involvement is crucial," said Sukhu.
He also directed the department to work on improving the...