Lok Sabha Question No. 2730 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-06
Subject: Prevention of Forest Fire
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Thalikkottai Rajuthevar Baalu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2730

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.03.2020

## Prevention of Forest Fire

2730 . SHRI T.R. BAALU:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  formulated any  action  plan  keeping  in  view  the  forest fires which affected 93,273 hectares across the country in 2019 and caused damage of Rs. 1,176 crore every year;
- (b)   if so, the details thereof; and
- (c)    the details of the reasons for not spending nearly 24 per cent of the fund out of Rs. 50 crore earmarked for forest fire prevention in India during the last two financial years and remedial measures taken/to be taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO )

- (a) & (b) The number of incidents of forest  fire in the  country varies  from  year to  year depending on various natural and anthropogenic reasons.Most of forest fires in the  country  are  ground  fires  in  which  ground  vegetation,  etc.  get  burnt.  As reported  by  States/UTs  the  economic  loss  due  to  forest  fires  is  given  in  the Annexure I.

National Action Plan on Forest Fire was prepared by the Ministry after several rounds of consultation with all the States, Union Territories and other stakeholders  in  2018  to  minimize  forest  fires  by  informing,  enabling  and empowering  forest  fringe  communities  and  incentivizing  them  to  work  in tandem with the Forest Departments reducing the vulnerability of forests across the diverse forest ecosystems in the country against fire hazards, enhancing the capabilities of forest personnel and institutions in fighting fires, and speeding up recovery after a fire event.

The Ministry is the Nodal Ministry for disaster management caused by forest fire in  the  country.  For  the  supervision  and  review  of  forest  fire  management,  a Central Monitoring Committee has also been constituted under the Chairmanship of Secretary and has representations of Principal Chief Conservator  of  Forests  of  all  States  and  Union  Territories.  Nodal  Officer  for forest fire prevention and control has also been appointed in all the States.

Forest  Survey  of  India  has  been  made  responsible  to  keep  constant  vigil  on forestfire  across  the  country  and  send  forest  fire  alerts  on  registered  mobile numbers in the States. Till date around 1, 01, 550 users have been registered to receive firealerts from Forest Survey of India.

Since the forests are managed by the States and Union Territories, responsibility of forest fire prevention and management lies primarily with the respective State Government/UT Administration. Ministry supports the efforts of States and UTs in  prevention  and  control  of  forest  fire  by  providing  financial  assistance  for various  forest  fire  prevention  and  management  measures  under  the  Centrally Sponsored  Forest  Fire  Prevention  and  Management  Scheme.  States  and  UTs prepare Annual Plan of Operations for prevention and management of forest fire under this central sponsored scheme and funds are released as per the Guidelines of the scheme.

In addition, Compensatory Afforestation Fund Rules 2018 provide for utilization of net present value component of the fund for capacity building and providing appropriate firefighting equipments to forest fire fighting squads and activities for forest fire management in the States.

- (c) Details  of  funds  released  under  the  Forest  Fire  Prevention  and  Management Scheme for last two and current financial years are given in Annexure II. During 2017-18 and 2018-19, the expenditure is 76.93 % and 93.14% respectively.

The  erstwhile  Intensification  of  Forest  Management  Scheme  (IFMS)  has  been revised and replaced by Forest Fire Prevention and Management Scheme w.e.f. 2017-18.  Approval  of  the  scheme  was  communicated  vide  letter  dated  20 th November  2017.  Thereafter  proposals  were  received  from  various  States  and UTs and funds were sanctioned. Therefore, nearly 23% of the fund could not be spent in 2017-18. The expenditure in 2019-20 till 04.03.2020 is 99.58%.

*****

## Details of estimated loss

## (i) Some States have reported estimated losses due to forest fires as per table given below:

|        |                  | 2019                          |
|--------|------------------|-------------------------------|
| S. No. | States           | Estimated Loss (in Rs. lakhs) |
| 1      | Assam            | 1.67                          |
| 2      | Gujarat          | 5.52                          |
| 3      | Himachal Pradesh | 122.10                        |
| 4      | Kerala           | 1.45                          |
| 5      | Maharashtra      | 54.51                         |
| 6      | Meghalaya        | Not Assessed                  |
| 7      | Nagaland         | 0.00                          |
| 8      | Punjab           | 1.09                          |
| 9      | Rajasthan        | 12.07                         |
| 10     | Uttar Pradesh    | 0.21                          |
| 11     | Uttarakhand      | 55.72                         |
| 12     | West Bengal      | 5.32                          |

- (ii) States viz. Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Haryana, J&K, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura and  7  UTs  viz.  Andaman  &  Nicobar  Islands,  Chandigarh,  Dadra  &  Nagar  Haveli,  Delhi, Daman & Diu, Lakshdweep and Puducherry have reported that most of the fires are ground fires in which only dried leaves etc got burnt and there is no considerable damage.
- (iii) Manipur and Odisha have reported that losses due to forest fires are not assessed.

***

## Annexure II

Annexure referred to in reply of part (e) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2730 due for answer on 06.03.2020 regarding 'Prevention on Forest Fire'

| Year                       | Budget (Rs. in Lakh)   | Expenditure incurred   | Expenditure incurred   |
|----------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
|                            |                        | (Rs. in Lakh)          | In percentage (%)      |
| 2017-18                    | 4525.00                | 3481.40                | 76.93%                 |
| 2018-19                    | 5000.00                | 4657.42                | 93.15%                 |
| 2019-20 (As on 04.03.2020) | 4700.00                | 4680.32                | 99.58%                 |