Zubair Qureshi
Despite claims by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and establishment of a hotline, fire incidents have become a usual practice in the capital as it broke out once again on Wednesday engulfing Talhar reserves and forests close to Monal Restaurant.
Federal Minister for Environment Sherry Rehman announced the setting up of a hotline, a cell phone number 03095302425 in order to give updates or receive information about the fire or on the current fire situation in the Margalla Hills. However, when contacted, no one responded from the number despite several attempts.
Wednesday turned out to be the second consecutive day when fire was reported in the hills near urban localities and the citizens watched the scenes of burning trees and bushes in a state of awe and shock.
CDA Spokesperson Asif Raza when contacted said fire might be caused by a burning butt of a cigarette or due to weather condition, however, it has been controlled in the area close to Monal Restaurant, he asserted, adding, in the Talhar village, a few private properties have been affected and teams were dispatched to fight the fire and put it out.
A total of 10 fire tenders took part in the operation and several staff members of the CDA Fire Fighters team took part in the operation, he said.
These fires were believed to be man-made but augmented by extremely dry and hot weather. Currently, we are experiencing the worst dry spell.
In Tuesday’s fire incident near National University of Science & Technology (NUST), staff of both Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) put out the flames at four of the locations in the Margalla Hills.
The Meteorological Department has already warned of a heat wave that started on Monday which will continue till Thursday (today).
According to the Met office, the fires would spike temperatures in the surrounding areas only.
“We are expecting the monsoon season to start in the last week of June. It is early to predict if we will have a prolonged monsoon like last year,” said an official of the Met Office.
The CDA has claimed that as soon as the incidents of fire were reported, the concerned staff took action and put out the fires. The relevant departments of the CDA also carried out firefighting operations in areas outside the boundaries of Islamabad, it added.
