WITH the monsoons due to arrive in June, the Forest Department of Goa is gearing up to restore 442 hectares of forest destroyed by fires in March. Although forest fires are not new to Goa, the intensity this year and the quantum of damage took the department and the state by surprise.
Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) Saurabh Kumar told local media that identification of trees destroyed by fires is underway and similar trees will be planted to restore the forests.
A probe conducted by the department concluded that most of the fires started in cashew plantations and spread to. . .