A delegation of Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), a Navratna Public Sector Undertaking under the Union Ministry for Defence, today called on Minister for Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology & Environment and Tribal Affairs, Javed Ahmed Rana and made a detailed presentation on "INFRASURE", an Artificial Intelligence-based Forest Fire Detection, Firefighting and Forest Management System.
The presentation focused on the use of advanced technologies for strengthening the forest protection, early detection of forest fires, wildlife surveillance, disaster management and environmental conservation. The proposed system integrates the ground-based, aerial and satellite technologies with a centralised monitoring and command mechanism aimed at enhancing the preparedness and response capabilities.
The MDL team informed the Minister that the proposed “INFRASURE” platform is an AI-enabled system designed for early forest fire detection, forest surveillance, disaster management and real-time monitoring through an integrated command-and-control mechanism.
The team highlighted various components of the proposed solution, including forest fire detection and firefighting systems, aerial firefighting platforms, man-animal conflict detection and alarm systems and satellite-based forest management tools.
The delegation informed the Minister that the technology is designed to facilitate early detection of forest fires, improve response time, strengthen forest surveillance and support effective disaster management through real-time monitoring and decision-making.
Javed Rana appreciated the presentation and emphasised the importance of adopting innovative, technology-driven solutions for protection and sustainable management of forest resources. He observed that advanced monitoring and early warning systems can play a significant role in mitigating forest fire incidents, reducing ecological losses and strengthening environmental conservation efforts.
The Minister directed the MDL team to submit a comprehensive proposal tailored to the specific requirements and geographical conditions of Jammu and Kashmir, addressing the Union Territory's unique challenges related to forest fire management, wildlife protection and disaster response.
The Minister said that the government would undertake a thorough assessment of the proposal and examine its feasibility and potential benefits for strengthening forest protection and environmental conservation efforts across the Union Territory. Senior officers of the Forest Department were present during the presentation.