Srinagar: The fire in Trikuta Hills in Katra of Jammu division of the state of Jammu and kashmir is under control now and the Yatra has been resumed under caution on Thursday.
Fire engulfed the forest on 23.05.2018.
“All the agencies deployed there were engaged in controlling the fire. CRPF played a commendable role in this entire exercise. The troops of 6 Bn CRPF deployed there, alongwith local police and shrine board staff, controlled and regularized the movement of passengers which otherwise could have created panic among them,” officials claimed.
They also said that they also proactively involved themselves in dousing the fire with whatever resources were available with them.
“The Yatra has resumed now under caution,” officials said.
Officials said that IAF was pressed into service its MLH class helicopter using Bambi Buckets, to contain the forest fire at Katra. “The operations stared this morning wherein two helicopters, one each of the Daring Dragons and of Snow Leopards units, of the Western Air Command were launched. The heptrs filled in water from the Reasi water reservoir in the specially built Bambi Buckets which can carry approximately 2500 ltrs of water at a time,” they said.
They claimed that the first drop was done in the area of the new track from Ardhkuwari to Bhawan.
“Its was a daunting task keeping in mind the challenging terrain and high tension cables in the area” said the captain of the lead aircraft Wing Commander Vikram.
Vikram confided that the operation of these types requires special skills by the pilot who flies with a very heavy load underslung.
“We trained to respond to these types of situations whenever demanded. The operations are scheduled to continue through the day till the fire is contained” said Wing Commander Rahul the captain of the second aircraft.
A reccee of the area was carried out yesterday to ascertain the complexities of the operations.
