The state government has launched a campaign named 'Pirul Lao Paisa Le Jao' in an effort to control the raging wildfires in Uttarakhand.
Uttarakhand is currently suffering from uncontrollable wildfires, which have engulfed thousands of hectares of forest land and the biodiversity of the region. Several local communities and tribes have been affected by the disaster, causing significant harm to several people's livelihoods and residences.
On Wednesday, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami started a campaign in Rudraprayag in hopes of controlling the wildfires and encouraging locals to participate and aid the forest officials. The 'Pirul Lao Paisa Le Jao' campaign is launched by the government of Uttarakhand to control the furious fires and stop them from spreading.
Also Read: Uttarakhand's violent forest fires: The burning issue and threat to nature
Under the campaign, the locals will be rewarded Rs 50 for every 1 kg of pirul (leaves of pine tree) collected and given to the Pirul Collection Centres. The money will be directly deposited into the individual's bank account.
The Pirul Collection Centers will be supervised by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate and operated by the Tehsildar in their respective areas. The pirul collected by the villagers will be later packed and sold to different industries.
As per reports by ANI, the campaign will be operated by the Pollution Central Board, and a total of Rs 50 crore budget has been assigned to it, which will be used to supervise the campaign and reward money to the villagers for their pirul.
Pirul is the local term for the pine tree leaves that fall from the tree and can spread fire for several kilometers. The campaign aims to remove them from the land and control the fire as much as possible.
Pirul is used by locals to make bedding for animals, mix with cow dung fertilizer, and pack fruits and vegetables. The government of Uttarakhand has also set up a 25-KW power plant that uses Pirul for power generation.
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