Madhya Pradesh has emerged as the first state in the country to implement a ‘Real-Time Forest Alert System’ to monitor forest encroachments and tree felling. The AI-based system, which relies on satellite imagery, machine learning, and field feedback, has been introduced as a pilot project across five districts — Shivpuri, Guna, Vidisha, Burhanpur, and Khandwa.
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The system will be expanded to cover the entire state from June 7. It is capable of detecting changes within an area as small as 10×10 meters. Whenever crops are sown, construction occurs, or land use changes within forest areas, an immediate alert is sent to the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), who then directs beat guards to investigate the matter.
According to Mr. Akshay Rathore, DFO of Guna, the system was personally coded by him. An alumnus of IIT Roorkee, Mr. Rathore explained that the cloud-based system accesses images directly from Google’s servers and integrates satellite data, artificial intelligence, and ground feedback into a single platform for the first time. He emphasized that the system would not only enhance monitoring but also enable swift action against violations.
The pilot testing in Guna district has been successful, paving the way for full-scale implementation. The system utilizes images from Google Earth Engine, and field beat guards are required to send photographs from all four directions at the site, ensuring more accurate and faster monitoring by senior forest officials.
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