HC questions nod for music festival inside Pench forest The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court recently raised concerns about the approval granted for a music festival held within the Pench Tiger Reserve, a protected forest area. The court issued a notice to the forest department, demanding an explanation within six weeks about the circumstances under which the event was permitted. A division bench comprising Justices Anil Kilor and Raj Wakode took the matter seriously, especially after media reports highlighted the "Kolitmara Music Festival" being organized near the riverbank within the reserve. The court directed that a suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL) be filed to address the issue, following an amicus curiae petition filed by Chetan Sharma in accordance with the court’s earlier instructions. The festival, planned in the Kolitmara region, sparked controversy amid growing concerns about human-wildlife conflict in the area over the past three years. Despite these environmental risks, authorities allegedly prioritized expanding tourism activities within the reserve. The PIL mentioned that similar initiatives, such as adventure sports and boating, had already been introduced in the region, and the music festival added to fears about the ecological impact of such ventures. The court’s intervention underscores the tension between promoting tourism and preserving the fragile ecosystem of the Pench Tiger Reserve. The case highlights the broader debate over balancing economic development with conservation efforts. While the forest department may argue that such events generate revenue and boost local economies, critics warn that encroaching on protected areas could disrupt wildlife habitats and increase human-wildlife interactions.#bombay_high_court #pench_tiger_reserve #chetan_sharma #kolitmara_music_festival #forest_department
AI-Powered Fire Detection System to Guard Tiger Reserves; Pench First to Implement Tech Authorities in India have launched an advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based forest fire detection system to enhance protection for tiger reserves. Pench Tiger Reserve has become the first in the region to adopt the technology, marking a significant step in leveraging modern tools to combat forest fires. The initiative aims to improve early detection of wildfires and enable faster response times to minimize damage to ecosystems and wildlife. The system relies on high-resolution thermal and pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras equipped with infrared sensors, installed on elevated towers or hilltops. These cameras can monitor vast forest areas and detect fire signals from distances up to 15 kilometers. Images captured by the cameras are transmitted to a central computer system, where AI algorithms analyze them in real time. The technology is designed to identify smoke, flames, or unusual heat patterns while distinguishing these from natural elements like clouds, fog, or dust. This reduces false alarms and ensures alerts are only triggered when a genuine fire risk is detected. Once a fire is identified, the system automatically sends alerts to forest officials via mobile messages and email. This allows field staff to reach the affected area quickly. The platform also integrates with GPS-enabled vehicles, firefighting teams, and water resources, enabling real-time coordination of response efforts. The cost of installing one unit is estimated at around ₹80 lakh for thermal cameras or ₹55 lakh for PTZ cameras. Annual maintenance is expected to cost approximately ₹4.5 lakh from the second year.#india #ai #pench_tiger_reserve #chandrapur_forest_academy #forest_fire_detection
