Himachal: Fire breaks out near mental asylum, Balika Ashram

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], May 1 (ANI): A major fire engulfed mental hospital and rehabilitation centre in Panajri area and Balika Ashram near Tutikandi area.
The local administration also shifted 23 children from the Balika Asham at Tutikandi to a hostel in US Clum area of Shimla city as after the forest fire, there were threats to the Ashram building. The forest fire was controlled by the forest department and out of the total 93 children, remaining 70 are also being shifted to safer places.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has shown major concern on the rapidly increasing forest fire incidents in the state.
The local residents in Shimla are trying to control the fire near mental asylum near Panajri area of Shimla. The local residents believe that each and every corner in and around Shimla city could be seen full of smoke and forest fire.
Young girls in the village are also participating to control the forest fire to save the forest wealth and also save the damages to the local fields and villages.
Local workers and contractors are also engaging themselves to control the forest fire and are trying to save the forest and local houses near here.
The CM also appealed to the people to come forward and encourage themselves to protect the forest wealth.
"This year the fire incidents are increasing rapidly and it is a major cause of concern, so far over 600 forest fire incidents have been registered and it is a big number. Our forest department teams, Fire department staff and local administration are trying to control fires in their respective areas but the prolonged dry spell is a major cause for these fire incidents", Thakur said.
"I would appeal for the public participation and discourage forest fires and protect the forest wealth as these fires are resulting in a huge loss to our fire incidents in the state," he added.
In 2021, state recorded only 1,300 forest fire incidents. So far, the highest 2,500 annual fire incidents were reported in 2018 and this year, the fire season has just begun and over 600 such incidents have been reported in the state due to the prolonged dry spell. (ANI)