Govt Agencies meet to raise awareness to prevent unnecessary fires

To raise awareness to prevent unnecessary fires, the relevant Agencies of Government met yesterday at the Public Service Commission office at Berkley Cresent in Suva.

Acting Permanent Secretary for Sugar Parmesh Chand says the lighting of uncontrolled fires does millions of dollars of damage to the economy through loss of properties, crops and livelihood, environment and soil degradation and ozone depletion from carbon emissions.

He adds that every year as we go into the drier months, thousands of acres of vegetation, sugarcane and other crops get destroyed by fires which are either deliberately lit or accidental.

He says the idea is to initiate collective action through mobilisation of relevant arms of Government to reach out to villages, communities and settlements and create awareness and realisation that lighting of uncontrolled fires is damaging to their livelihood and economy.

Director Sugar Viliame Gucake and Police Director Operations ACP Rusiate Tudravu were also part of the meeting yesterday.