Lok Sabha Question No. 72 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-18
Subject: Increasing Cases of Forest Fires
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Ravneet Singh, Su Thirunavukkarasar, Malook Nagar

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.72

TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.07.2022

## Increasing Cases of Forest Fires

## 72.  SHRI RAVNEET SINGH BITTU: SHRI THIRUNAVUKKARASAR SU: SHRI MALOOK NAGAR:

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

- (a) whether it is a fact that the incidents of forest fires including the recent incident of major forest fire outbreak inside the Sariska National Park in Rajasthan which resulted in huge loss  of  forest  area  are  increasing  in  the  country  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  of  the incidents of forest fires in the country during the lastthree years, year-wise;
- (b) whether the Government has done any study to analyze the reasons for the increase in incidents of forest fire outbreaks in the country and its potential impact on the flora and fauna of the affected areas and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the  action  plan  taken  by  the  Government  along  with  the  States  to  overcome  the challenges  of  forest  fire  due  to  heat  wave,  natural  and  unnatural  causes,  if  any,in  the future and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a) Forest  fire  do  occur  every  year  during  summer  due  to  various  natural  and anthropogenic reasons including accumulations of inflammable materials such as dry  leaves,  twigs,  pine  needles  etc.  Most  of  the  forest  fires  in  the  country  are ground fires in which ground vegetation, etc. get burnt. The number of incidences of forest fire in the country varies from year to year depending on various natural and anthropogenic reasons. The Number of forest fire alerts disseminated by  the Forest  Survey  of  India  (FSI)  using  SNPP-VIIRS  sensors  (This  includes  large, continuous and repeated forest fires) during last three years to various States/UT's are given in Annexure-I.
- (b)& (c) Ministry in collaboration with the World Bank has conducted a study on Situation Analysis  of  Forest  Fire  and  released  a  study  report  titled  'Strengthening  Forest Fire  Management  in  India'  which  contains  various  recommendations  regarding

forest  fire  prevention,  detection,  suppression,  post-fire  management,  engaging with  communities,  coordination  with  other  agencies  etc.  Inputs  from  the  study were used by the Ministry in preparation of National Action Plan on Forest Fire which has been circulated to all State/UTs in April,2018 to take appropriate action.

The responsibility of forest fire prevention and management lies primarily with the respective  State/UT.  The  Ministry  supports  the  efforts  of  the  States/  UTs  in prevention and control of forest fire by providing financial assistance for various forest  fire  prevention  and  management  measures  such  as  modern  tools  for  fire extinguishing, use of communication and information technology, etc creation and maintenance of fire lines in forest areas, engagement of fire watchers, creation of water  storage  structures  in  forest  areas,  strengthening  of  forest  infrastructure, procurement  of  firefighting  equipment,  soil  and  moisture  conservation  works  in high risk areas, awareness creation, incentivizing villages/communities for protection  against  forest  fire  etc.  under  the  Centrally  Sponsored  Forest  Fire Prevention and Management Scheme. A sum of about Rs. 113 crore (Rupees One Hundred Thirteen crore) has been released to the State Governments/UTs during last three years (2018-19 to 2021-22) under this scheme.

In  addition,  the  FSI  has  taken  following  steps  to  improve  the  forest  fire  alert system:-

- (i) FSI has pursued with States/UTs to increase the number of registered users of its  alert  system.  Now,  the  number  of  such  registered  users  has  increased  to around 1.55 lakh.
- (ii) FSI also generates and disseminates 'Weekly Early-Warning Alerts' of forest fire to concerned States/UTs.
- (iii) FSI has also initiated an innovative 'Large Forest Fire Monitoring' programme  in  January  2019  which  aims  at  improving  tactical  as  well  as strategic response to large forest fires by the respective States/UTs.

In addition to above initiatives by FSI, the Government has constituted a national level committee that oversees the issues arising out of forest fire. The committee has  advised  all  states  to  take  several  measures  including  constituting  State-level Monitoring Committee on Forest Fire, preparing State Action Plan on Forest Fire, and Fire Risk Zonation mapping.

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO PART (a) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.  72  DUE  FOR  REPLY  ON  18.07.2022  REGARDING  INCREASING  CASES  OF FOREST FIRES.

State/UT-wise number of forest fire detected by Forest Survey of India using SNPP-VIIRS sensors in the last three years. (This includes large, continuous and repeated forest fires)

| S. No.   | State/UT                 | SNPP-VIIRS Detections   | SNPP-VIIRS Detections   | SNPP-VIIRS Detections   |
|----------|--------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
| S. No.   | State/UT                 | Nov 2019 to June 2020   | Nov 2020 to June 2021   | Nov 2021 to June 2022   |
| 1        | Andaman &Nicobar Islands | 39                      | 16                      | 33                      |
| 2        | Andhra Pradesh           | 9,996                   | 19,328                  | 14,138                  |
| 3        | Arunachal Pradesh        | 1,786                   | 3,914                   | 3,449                   |
| 4        | Assam                    | 8,924                   | 10,718                  | 8,158                   |
| 5        | Bihar                    | 614                     | 5,179                   | 3,024                   |
| 6        | Chandigarh               | 2                       | 0                       | 0                       |
| 7        | Chhattisgarh             | 6,360                   | 38,106                  | 25,792                  |
| 8        | Dadra &Nagar Haveli      | 21                      | 33                      | 15                      |
| 9        | Daman &Diu               | 0                       | 1                       | 3                       |
| 10       | Delhi                    | 21                      | 14                      | 3                       |
| 11       | Goa                      | 47                      | 45                      | 20                      |
| 12       | Gujarat                  | 2,770                   | 3,803                   | 2,769                   |
| 13       | Haryana                  | 68                      | 152                     | 135                     |
| 14       | Himachal Pradesh         | 536                     | 4,110                   | 5,280                   |
| 15       | Jammu &Kashmir           | 438                     | 1,098                   | 4,282                   |
| 16       | Jharkhand                | 2,613                   | 21,713                  | 9,419                   |
| 17       | Karnataka                | 4,232                   | 5,784                   | 4,973                   |
| 18       | Kerala                   | 864                     | 296                     | 504                     |
| 19       | Lakshadweep              | 0                       | 0                       | 0                       |
| 20       | Madhya Pradesh           | 9,537                   | 47,795                  | 32,728                  |
| 21       | Maharashtra              | 14,018                  | 34,025                  | 22,052                  |
| 22       | Manipur                  | 8,800                   | 10,457                  | 5,544                   |
| 23       | Meghalaya                | 6,762                   | 7,658                   | 6,322                   |
| 24       | Mizoram                  | 7,361                   | 12,846                  | 8,734                   |
| 25       | Nagaland                 | 2,905                   | 4,975                   | 3,471                   |
| 26       | Odisha                   | 10,602                  | 51,968                  | 22,014                  |
| 27       | Puducherry               | 0                       | 1                       | 0                       |
| 28       | Punjab                   | 153                     | 635                     | 428                     |
| 29       | Rajasthan                | 3,461                   | 3,402                   | 2,703                   |
| 30       | Sikkim                   | 47                      | 63                      | 26                      |
| 31       | Tamil Nadu               | 1,368                   | 1,220                   | 1,035                   |
| 32       | Telangana                | 12,132                  | 18,237                  | 13,737                  |
| 33       | Tripura                  | 4,369                   | 5,015                   | 2,609                   |
| 34       | Uttar Pradesh            | 1,548                   | 8,608                   | 5,428                   |
| 35       | Uttarakhand              | 759                     | 21,487                  | 12,985                  |
| 36       | West Bengal              | 1,320                   | 3,287                   | 1,520                   |
| Total    | Total                    | 1,24,473                | 3,45,989                | 2,23,333                |