Fires ravaging Maharashtra forests, 1,347 incidents in 2 days: FSI

NAGPUR: Vast tracts of forests are on fire in Maharashtra — right from Thane in the west and Gadchiroli in the east. As per real-time alerts of Forest Survey of India (FSI), 1,347 fires were detected in the state in two days — March 28 and 29. The fires are being ignited allegedly at the behest of tendu contractors and by mahua collectors.
Of these, 1,248 fires were detected on Monday and 99 on Tuesday.

Forest fire alerts generated by FSI are based on fire point data processed by National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Hyderabad. The frequency of the alerts is dependent on the monitoring satellite orbit, which is currently six times a day (24 hours). The accuracy of fire alerts is based on information of the boundary information provided by the state forest departments.
APCCF (Protection) Pravin Chavan said, “Till Sunday, there were 11,781 fire alerts in Maharashtra. Until we collect the data on the actual area burned from each circle, it will not be possible to tell the exact area affected by ground fires. Some fires are also reported in non-forest areas.”
“It is true that Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Nagpur and Kolhapur forest circles have been affected badly. Pre-tendu and mahua collection activities are two main reasons for forest fires,” Chavan admits.
TOI found that large stretches of forest areas in Gondia, Gadchiroli, Bramhapuri, and Chandrapur where tendu patta collection is very high are being ravaged by forest fires, and yet no action is being taken against the staff or contractors. Not only this, but Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM) areas are also on fire.
“Forests with tendu units are set afire with a misconception that fire just before sprouting stimulates the dominant leaf buds and favours a better flush of numerous tender leaves. However, the fires are multiplying and causing degradation of forests,” says Bandu Dhotre, member of the state board for wildlife (SBWL).
“Precious forest resources and carbon is lost, which has an impact on the flow of goods and services from the forest areas. The FSI has been alerting the forest department at beat level, but still the entire machinery is falling short to contain fires in time. These fires have stopped regeneration of the forests,” said Suresh Chopne, founder of Green Planet Society, Chandrapur.
As per rules, if forest fires occur in the area having tendu units then forest officials concerned are empowered to cancel these units, but despite so many incidents, not a single tendu unit has been cancelled in the state. For example, Bramhapuri division in Chandrapur, 80% of the area has burned but there is no action against any field staff nor any tendu unit has been cancelled.
Chandrapur conservator of forest (CF) Prakash Lonkar said, “We have called a meeting with tendu contractors and have warned that if fires occur in their units, then these units will be cancelled. The fires have been reported for the last 10 days and the situation is brought under control.” Lonkar was shy of revealing how much forest area was devastated by fires.
Fires in tiger-populated areas of Chandrapur and Bramhapuri forest divisions are also raging for the last eight days and the staff is proving helpless to bring them under control. The fires are man-made and ignited for mahua and tendu leaves. Sources from the field said actual forest area damaged may be huge as officials always try to conceal it.
However, Bramhapuri DyCF Dipesh Malhotra said, “There were 577 alerts in five ranges in the division, of which 172 were in private areas. Over 181 hectares of forest area was ravaged in all ranges and offences have been registered for 172 hectares. We have also cancelled 4 tendu units and suspended a forest guard for being absent on duty.”
Maharashtra is among the top six states vulnerable to forest fires. In 2021, of the over 3.86 lakh fire alerts issued nationally by the FSI, Maharashtra recorded 60,851 alerts, which comes to 16% of the total forest fire incidents in the country. It is also among the top five states in tendu leaves production.
“On Monday evening, forest fires were reported from Bhandara district and the flames had spread in one of the compartments of Koka wildlife sanctuary. Over 25 STPF jawans and 50 employees were engaged in extinguishing the fires,” said honorary wildlife warden Nadeem Khan.