Spiral of smoke found in new area of Sundarbans

A spiral of smoke was found in an area called Teishersila under the Chandpai Range of the Eastern Sundarbans. Journalists saw the spiral of smoke in that portion of the forest around 10 am on Sunday (March 23).

Officials and employees of the Forest Department visited the spot after getting information from them.

Barek Howlader, team leader of the Village Tiger Response Team at Gulishakhali patrol outpost, confirmed the information.

He said, “Forest Department officials have visited the spot where the spiral of smoke was noticed. Measures are being taken to control the fire.”

Earlier, a fire broke out in the Chandpai Range’s Kalamteji patrol post area of the Sundarbans East Division. The Forest Department brought the blaze under control this morning.

Bipuleshwar Debnath, Station Officer of East Sundarbans of Chandpai Range, told Risingbd this morning, “Although the fire service personnel left in the evening, the forest department worked to douse the blaze from 9 pm on Saturday. Along with forest guards and forest officials, more than a hundred local volunteers worked to control the fire. As a result, the fire was completely doused by morning.”

Meanwhile, a three-member investigation committee has been formed to determine the cause of the fire. The committee has been instructed to submit its report as soon as possible.

Assistant Forest Conservator (ACF) Dwipan Chandra Das of the Chandpai Range is leading the investigation committee.

According to locals and forest department sources, the fire was first spotted by locals around 9:00am yesterday. The forest department, along with locals, tried to locate and extinguish the flames by noon. By afternoon, five units of the fire service arrived at the scene.