Mumbai, Jul 20 (PTI) Forest fires continue to threaten Maharashtra’s ecosystems, particularly in the eastern parts of the state, despite several measures and technological interventions, a senior forest department official said on Sunday.
Forest Minister Ganesh Naik had earlier informed the legislature that between January 1 and April 15 this year, 204 forest fire incidents were reported from various forest areas across several districts.
Naik had said that most of these fires were caused by human negligence or natural factors. “Although no wildlife deaths have been reported during these incidents, the recurrence of fires remains a concern,” he had said.
The official said that the Forest Department has taken multiple steps, including issuing fire prevention guidelines, training personnel, and deploying firefighting equipment, the official said.
“In January 2024 alone, eight fire incidents were recorded,” the official said, adding that illegal burning of forest areas is being tackled under provisions of the Indian Forest Act.
In several regions in the state, including Konkan, Vidarbha and the northern parts, people start forest fires to keep wild animals at bay. Fires are also used to clear forested patches and stake claims to the land, as many areas lack clearly demarcated forest boundaries, the official said.
Efforts to prevent fires include the marking of forest boundaries, creation of fire lines, and increased patrolling in vulnerable areas. “We have trained staff in fire management and are using modern equipment to enhance response time,” the official said.
Despite these measures, a large number of fires continue to erupt, he said.
According to the India State of Forest Report 2023, released in December last year, Maharashtra ranked fifth in the country with 16,008 forest fire incidents between November 2023 and June 2024. Of these, Gadchiroli alone accounted for 7,042 cases, the highest number for any district in India.
“The department is using advanced tools like Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing to identify high-risk zones. Forest fire control centres have been established, fire-blower machines are used to remove dry leaf litter, and observation towers have been installed in sensitive areas,” the official said.
Meanwhile, the state has also recorded a sharp increase in human-wildlife conflicts.
According to official records, such incidents, including human deaths, injuries, crop damage and livestock loss, rose from 44,692 in 2020-21 to 2,37,841 in 2023-24.
To address compensation and related concerns, the state government allocated Rs 80 crore each in 2020-21 and 2021-22, Rs 127.1 crore in 2022-23, Rs 145 crore in 2023-24, and Rs 220.86 crore in 2024-25.
“The Forest Department has submitted a proposal to the Finance Department for additional financial provision based on the increasing number of conflict cases. The proposal, based on data from December 2023, is currently under review,” the official added. PTI ND NR
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