New Delhi, Aug 13,
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has intensified its early-warning mechanism to help states, including Himachal Pradesh, curb the growing menace of forest fires that continue to deplete the country’s green wealth.
Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh told Parliament on Tuesday, in response to a question by Kangra MP Dr. Rajiv Bhardwaj, that the Forest Survey of India (FSI) now issues advance alerts to states at least a week before the likelihood of large-scale fires, alongside real-time warnings. The system enables state home departments and forest agencies to mobilise men and material for preventive and containment measures well in time.
In collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the ministry has also created three specialised forest fire control units, each comprising 150 trained personnel. These teams can be deployed to critical zones to stop fires from spreading.
Funding support to strengthen firefighting capacity is being channelled through the centrally sponsored Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) scheme. Singh said the FSI employs advanced satellite technology — including data from NASA’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectro Radiometer (MODIS) and the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership’s Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) — to track fire incidents and facilitate swift ground action.
He further informed that a National Action Plan, detailing region-specific preventive measures, has been issued for state-level implementation. The Centre’s integrated approach — combining early alerts, specialised manpower, financial backing, and satellite surveillance — aims to protect biodiversity and preserve forest resources from recurring fire disasters.
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