A PIL was filed in the Supreme Court on Thursday seeking urgent steps to protect forests, wildlife and birds from wildfires in Uttarakhand, saying forest blazes have increased over the years causing huge loss to the environment.

The petition sought directions to the Centre, the Uttarakhand Government and the principal chief conservator of forests in the state to make pre-fire arrangements and frame policy to prevent forest fires.

The plea, filed by advocate Rituparn Uniyal, also sought investigation into the matter by an independent agency and directions to declare the animal kingdom as legal entities having a distinct persona with corresponding rights, duties and liabilities of a living person.

“Forest fires in Uttarakhand have been regular and historic feature. Every year forest fires in Uttarakhand causes great loss to the forest ecosystem, diversity of flora and fauna and economic wealth. Forest fire is one of the major disasters in the forests of Uttarakhand.

“Despite a consistent history of forest fires the ignorance, inactiveness, negligence and unreadiness of the respondents (Centre, State Government and chief conservator of forests) have rendered a great loss to forests, wildlife and birds in Uttarakhand and thus caused ecological imbalance,” it said.

The plea claimed one of the prominent forest research centres was at Uttarakhand but the authorities have not consulted the institution for remedies to tackle wildfires.

“Uttarakhand has one of the prominent forest research centres, that is, Forest Research Institute Deemed to be University, Dehradun. Surprisingly, the respondents have never consulted the institution for the reasons and solutions of devastating forest fires in the State. This clearly shows a lackadaisical approach of the respondents in tackling the forest fires,” it said.

The plea further said forest and wildlife were the most important natural resources and played significant role in the human life and environment.