Salem: State Forest Minister Dindigul C. Sreenivasan has been told to accelerate the operation to search and rescue those trapped due to forest fire in Kurangani and all efforts are being taken to rescue all the persons, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami has said.
Speaking to reporters here on Sunday Mr. Palaniswami said security in the forest area has been intensified and action would be initiated to conduct an enquiry into the forest fires. “It is a dense forest in which even the forest department staff cannot penetrate… the government will take stern action on those who enter into the forest area,” he told reporters. Meanwhile, Mr. Sreenivasan who rushed to Theni to oversee the search and rescue activities said the information about the students trapped in Kurangani was known only after a local woman informed the Kurangani police about a group trekking in the forest. “The forest area is inaccessible and there is no communication (with those trapped). It is said about 40 persons, mostly women, had gone for trekking.
The fire and rescue service personnel and forest department are involved in the rescue operation and we hope to rescue all of them safely,” Mr. Sreenivasan added.
