https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Forests for the Future: IFS Officers Discuss Innovation

On International Day of Forests, Indian Masterminds spoke to a couple of IFS officers This year’s theme for International Forest Day is - Forests and innovation: New solutions for a better world Read the article to learn about the forefront of innovations
Indian Masterminds Stories

Today is International Day of Forests, a day dedicated to celebrating the importance of these irreplaceable ecosystems and raising awareness about the threats they face. This year’s theme, “Forests and Innovation: New Solutions for a Better World,” underscores the crucial role technology can play in protecting our forests. In line with this theme, Indian Masterminds spoke to forest officers on the cutting edge of innovation. 

Q- What are the possibilities for utilizing innovative wood products and bio-materials as sustainable alternatives to conventional materials like steel and concrete in India’s construction sector?

2018-batch IFS officer Vineet Kumar, who is posted as DFO, Anantapur, shared, “The possibilities are unbound for utilizing sustainable materials for construction. In fact, new sustainable, innovative materials are the future. This is because of three main factors.”

Vineet Kumar, IFS
Vineet Kumar, IFS
  1.  These materials are environment-friendly and cannot be compromised to protect the environment, as our survival is linked to the health of the environment and Mother Earth. 
  2. These innovative materials are multipurpose, meaning the same material can be used for interiors, outdoors, construction, structural, etc. Many such materials, such as engineered wood, are available on the market that are less harmful to the environment and are produced from organic materials.
  3. The field of design is going through a shift, and customers want to have unique ideas for home decor, interiors, crafts, etc. where these sustainable materials, with their properties, can be used by designers to customize unique sets of experiences. Major firms are focusing on such materials. 

Another gap to be filled by the use of such materials is the availability of skilled labor who can work on these sustainable alternatives. Traditional artisans like carpenters and painters can be skilled with these new materials to ensure the trust of customers in the skills of workers as well as the easy implementation of such innovative solutions to the last mile. Private farmhouses, eco-tourism centers, resorts, public housing projects, etc. can all use such innovative materials, which are not only sustainable but also less permanent in nature, leaving a smaller footprint and being easier to install once the prototypes are finalized. A lot of research in material science is focused on producing the materials of the future that are not only sustainable but also mass-produced, low-cost, and promote the concepts of circular economy, leading to fewer wastes. 

“We have used such materials, though on a small scale, for building the cottages at the eco-tourism center run by the Forest Department at Pacherla in the Nandyal district of Andhra Pradesh,” Mr. Kumar shared. 

Q- How can we encourage innovation in non-timber forest products (NTFPs) to create new income opportunities for forest-dependent communities while ensuring sustainable harvesting practices?

2018-batch IFS officer Vejayanantham TR, DFO, South Betul Forest Division, shared, “We need PPP mode in collection, processing, and marketing. The private sector has the best technologies, quality assurance systems, and marketing strategies. The government has the last mile reach and faith of the people. We have to bring both together. Using export standards in collection and processing, organic certification of NTFPs is the need of the hour.”

Vejayanantham TR, IFS
Vejayanantham TR, IFS

Q- In your opinion, what innovative solutions hold the most promise for ensuring the future health and productivity of Indian forests?

“The Forest Department lacks real-time data. Whether it is forest management or human resource management, we need to create systems like control rooms and command centers to monitor forest protection works, patrolling, and the activeness of the barriers in real-time. It’s better to protect what we have than to create a new one, as it takes hundreds of years for the forest ecosystem to develop,” Mr. Vejayanantham said. 

Q- How can AI, drones, and satellite technology be better utilized for forest fire prevention, detection, and management in India?

2014-batch IFS officer Yashu Deep Singh, who is currently on central deputation at Chandigarh within the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, said, “I believe that there is huge potential in the use of AI for forest fire detection.” Currently, it relies on satellite imagery and the census data used by the satellites. He further said that by analyzing past years’ data, AI can predict the most prone areas and detect various parameters indicating changing atmospheric conditions and village activities.

Yashu Deep Singh, IFS
Yashu Deep Singh, IFS

This will enable the department to anticipate and identify days when forest fires are more likely to occur and in which locations. “I think it is entirely feasible, and such tools could be immensely beneficial in protecting and preventing forest fires, focusing more on prevention rather than fire control.”

2019-batch IFS officer Ankit Kumar, who is posted as Deputy CEO, CAMPA, and DCF, Industries, Arunachal Pradesh, shared that there are not many fire hotspots in Arunachal Pradesh, but the use of technology is crucial wherever needed. For fire hotspot detection, they utilize GIS media and an application through which people can share information about forest fires. GIS media is used for people’s participation. 

Ankit Kumar, IFS
Ankit Kumar, IFS

“I’m not sure how useful AI will be in this regard, but if early detection can be achieved, it could prove beneficial, for which we require better technology. AI could assist in collating data and providing advance alerts,” the officer said. 

In the North East area, drone usage is minimal due to the dense canopy, making it difficult to navigate drones within the forest. Manual deployment of forest guards is most effective.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Image Yoga Day NBCC
Yoga Mahakumbh & Meditation Workshop: NBCC Commemorates 11th International Day of Yoga with Holistic Wellness Initiatives
IAS Prasanth N
Controversy Deepens Over IAS Officer Prasanth’s Suspension Extension Despite Panel Clearance
Indian Bureaucracy News Latest
ACC Extends Central Deputation Tenures of Ajai Kumar Verma and Kushagra Mittal
Screenshot 2025-06-21 202516
CM Yogi Leads International Yoga Day Celebrations in Gorakhpur
Indian PSUs Yoga Day 2025
Indian PSUs Lead the Way: Massive Participation Marks 11th International Yoga Day Across Public Sector
Jammu&Kashmir
Jammu & Kashmir: 27 Officers Promoted to Time Scale of JKAS; Safiya Abdullah Among Them - Check Order Here
Uttar Pradesh UP Government
Uttar Pradesh Launches ‘Urban Green Policy’ to Combat Climate Change and Promote Sustainable Development
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-21 at 8.03
Yoga for One Earth, One Health: NLC India Celebrates 11th International Yoga Day with 10,000 Participants in Neyveli
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Inderjit Singh Interview Plane Crash
What ill-fated pilots of AI171 may have gone through in those 40 seconds before the crash? Intro:
IRAS Ananth Rupanagudi
IRAS Ananth Rupanagudi’s 27-Year Odyssey with Indian Railways | Exclusive Interview
Monika Singh
The Civil Servant Who Finds Peace in Poetry
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Raju Wagh
When the Battlefield Became a Study Room and a Dream Took Flight
Amid IED blasts and anti-Maoist operations in Bastar, CRPF Commando Raju Wagh taught village kids, studied...
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-18 at 10.31
"I Just Wanted to Breathe Again": The Man Who Fought Death and Made It to UPSC
Struck by COVID at the peak of his UPSC prep, Devanand Telgote spent months on ECMO, unsure he'd live,...
Ravinder Nandal IDES
IDES Ravinder Nandal's Story of Self-Made Success
Balancing fatherhood, full-time jobs, and six UPSC attempts, Ravinder Nandal’s story is one of perseverance,...
Social Media
Tigress Arrowhead
The End of an Era: A Queen Falls - Ranthambore’s Iconic Tigress Arrowhead (T-84) Passes Away at 14, Hours After Daughter’s Relocation
Ranthambore mourns the loss of one of its fiercest and most beloved tigers, Arrowhead, the granddaughter...
Screenshot 2025-06-13 194001
Wild Elephant Disrupts Riverside Picnic, Sparks Debate on Human Encroachment; IFS Parveen Kumar Shares the Video - Watch Here!
Mr. Kaswan used the viral video, which has garnered over 1.5 lakh views, to highlight the risks of human...
Tiger jump Sundarban
Stunning Viral Video Shows Royal Bengal Tiger Making Spectacular 30-Foot Leap Across River in Sunderbans - See It Here
Retired Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Susanta Nanda shared the clip online, which quickly went...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Raju Wagh
When the Battlefield Became a Study Room and a Dream Took Flight
Image Yoga Day NBCC
Yoga Mahakumbh & Meditation Workshop: NBCC Commemorates 11th International Day of Yoga with Holistic Wellness Initiatives
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Inderjit Singh Interview Plane Crash
IRAS Ananth Rupanagudi
Monika Singh
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT