Maharashtra Forest Minister Ganesh Naik on Wednesday said the state government will deploy advanced equipment and reinforce existing mechanisms to combat forest fires and boost firefighting capacity across Maharashtra.
Naik was speaking in the Legislative Assembly in response to a query by Congress MLA Jyoti Gaikwad, Naik said local representatives, NGOs, and forest department officials are coordinating efforts to prevent and manage fire incidents, with the added support of satellite-based monitoring systems.
He added that a satellite-based system to detect forest fires has been activated.
Thane records highest forest fire incidents in 2025
According to the minister, forest fire incidents were recorded at 204 locations in Thane district, 36 in Solapur and 25 in Beed in 2025.
He noted that under joint forest management programmes, local citizens are also participating in firefighting and forest protection efforts, with support from forest personnel. In some areas, teachers and students have also joined these efforts, reported PTI.
Parts of Sindhudurg have forest cover, while nearly 90 per cent of the land in Ratnagiri district is privately owned. Fires on private land have caused damage to trees such as jackfruit, mango, coconut and areca nut. The issue will be addressed in coordination with the agriculture department, Naik added.
Referring to a recent fire in the Ekveera forest area at Mangalwedha in Solapur district, the minister said it was caused by an electrical short circuit and was quickly doused due to the prompt response of the fire brigade.
The state-run electricity company will be instructed to replace old wiring to prevent such incidents in the future, he said.
Naik also said that precautionary measures, including the cleaning of temple premises in vulnerable areas, will be undertaken to reduce the risk of fires.
41 tiger deaths recorded in Maharashtra in 2025: Naik
A total of 41 tigers died in Maharashtra in 2025, with most succumbing to natural causes, state Forest Minister Ganesh Naik told the Assembly on Wednesday, reported the PTI.
The government is stepping up efforts to prevent tiger deaths caused by accidents, electrocution, and poaching.
According to the minister, of the 41 tiger deaths 28 were due to natural causes, 8 were accidental deaths, 4 were caused by electrocution, 1 resulted from poaching.
The minister highlighted the Ballarshah–Gondia railway line, which passes through sensitive forest divisions and buffer zones of the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve and Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve. Between 2011 and 2025, five tigers were killed along this route, as per the PTI.
Statistics show that five tigers lost their lives on this specific railway route between 2011 and 2025, he said.
To prevent railway-related wildlife deaths, the Chief Conservator of Forests (Regional), Chandrapur, has formally communicated with the railways.
(With PTI inputs)
