Parliamentary Panel Pushes MoEFCC To Use Technology To Tackle Forest Fires
Panel urges MoEFCC to adopt technology for forest fire prevention.
A parliamentary panel has urged the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to adopt a technology-driven approach to prevent and manage forest fires, stressing the need for improved early warning systems, better monitoring tools, and stronger coordination among government agencies.
The recommendation was made by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change in a recent report reviewing the country’s preparedness to tackle forest fires. The panel highlighted that climate change, prolonged dry spells, and human activities have increased the frequency and intensity of forest fires in several parts of India.
According to the committee, modern technologies such as satellite-based monitoring, real-time data analytics, and artificial intelligence could significantly strengthen India’s ability to detect and respond to fires at an early stage. The panel suggested integrating these tools with existing forest management systems to improve surveillance and enable faster response by field officials.
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The report also called for greater coordination between central and state authorities, forest departments, and disaster management agencies. It emphasized the importance of training frontline forest staff and equipping them with modern firefighting equipment to ensure rapid containment of fires before they spread across large forest areas.
India experiences thousands of forest fire incidents each year, particularly during the dry summer months when vegetation becomes highly flammable. States with large forest cover, including Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and parts of the Northeast, often face recurring fire outbreaks that threaten biodiversity, wildlife habitats and nearby communities.
The committee said a comprehensive, technology-enabled strategy combined with stronger ground-level capacity could significantly improve forest fire prevention and management in the country. It urged the ministry to accelerate the adoption of advanced monitoring systems and strengthen preparedness measures to reduce the environmental and economic impact of such incidents.
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