Forest fires surge in Nalgonda, Bhongir
FSI has been using SNPP-VIIRS sensors to detect forest fires and alert State Forest Departments
Nalgonda: Forest fires in the erstwhile Nalgonda district have risen sharply from 34 in 2022-23 to 49 in 2023-24. This has sparked concern over the protection of forested areas here.
According to the Forest Survey of India (FSI), forest area in the region spans 319.85 square km in Nalgonda district, 45.23 square km in Suryapet district, and 185.23 square km in Bhongir district. While Nalgonda maintained its forest cover, Suryapet and Bhongir districts saw slight declines. In 2023-24, Suryapet's forest area reduced by 1.05 square km, while Bhongir lost 2.2 square km compared to the previous year.
FSI has been using SNPP-VIIRS sensors to detect forest fires and alert State Forest Departments. In 2023-24, Nalgonda district reported 29 forest fire incidents, up from 14 the previous year. Bhongir also saw a big rise, with incidents increasing from three in 2022-23 to 17 in 2023-24. However, Suryapet reported a decline in fire incidents, dropping to three in 2023-24 from 17 in 2022-23.
While district authorities claim a 5-10 per cent increase in forest area under the Telangana Ku Haritha Haram programme, field-level data suggests discrepancies due to various factors. Forest section officer Venkateshwarlu noted that most fire incidents were minor and were extinguished promptly using a real-time fire monitoring system.
In the erstwhile Khammam district, forest area has been reduced big time over the past three years, with 121.21 square km lost. Kothagudem district ranked second in the state in forest fire incidents in 2023, reporting 2,600 cases.
Forest cover has declined across all divisions in Khammam district. In the Khammam division, forest area shrank by 1.70 square km, falling to 194.11 square km in 2023 from 195.81 square km in 2021. In the Sathupally division, forest cover dropped by 18.51 square km, reducing to 356.5 square km in 2022 from 375.01 square km in 2021. The Bhadrachalam division reported a loss of 28.47 square km, with forest area now at 273.59 square km, down from 302.06 square km in 2021.