With forest fires keeping officials on their toes, a wary eye has been kept on transmission lines that criss-cross Kappatagudda hills. Forest officials allege that one of the four cases of forest fire recorded in the past week is linked to sparks emitting from a transmission line in the the area. They have filed a case under Section 24 C(I) of the Karnataka Forest Act against a major wind power generating firms, while instructing firms to take safety precautions. There are 240 windmills operating from the forest area in the Kappatagudda forest range, maintained by three different companies. Erecting barricades around the transformers, maintaining vigil over vehicles were some of the other directions issued.

Source: The Hindu March 08, 2017 00:39 UTC