Forest fire in Pathivara Temple area nears Temple, efforts on to contain fire

Kathmandu - The forest fire that erupted and spread in the forest area surrounding the Pathivara Temple in Taplejung district since the past five days has begun nearing the area where the shrine of the Goddess Pathivara is situated. The forest fire had partially come under control on Sunday, thanks to the untiring efforts of the officials of the Pathivara Area Development Committee, locals, hoteliers and security personnel and locals. But in a sudden turn of events, the fire reached nearby the Temple today morning, shared Committee's executive director Manakmani Kafle.

Kafle shared that the Temple and the small huts in its premises are safe till now. The trees, herbs and shrubs were removed from the area adjacent to the Temple which led to negligible prospects of the Temple area being engulfed by the forest fire. The fire had broken out from Pathivara Simbu Community Forest on Thursday. The forest is located at Fawa Khola at Pungling Municipality-11 in the district. The place is three kilometres away from the human settlement beneath the hill where the shrine is located and began to flare up and spread, according to him.

The security personnel from the Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force and the locals are on their toes to guard the Temple and its surrounding physical infrastructures, said the main priest of the Temple, Dilli Raman Acharya. The area where the fire spread is known to be an exclusive habitat of the red panda. No animals have been found dead bodies so far although many plants of medicinal values have been destroyed, added Acharya.

The forest fire has caused loss of habitat for the wildlife species here and has damaged some 400-meteres stretch of the drinking water pipe. The locals in the Mathillo Fedi, the upper hill, have been facing problems lately for the drinking water. The reason behind the forest fire is still unknown. Meanwhile, helicopters of private companies have been mobilized to contain the fire, according to Kafle.