PRESS RELEASE ON THE 412th REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT-RELATED PARLIAMENTARY STANDING COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, ENVIRONMENT, FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE

The 412th report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change, chaired by Dr. Medha Vishram Kulkarni, highlighted critical gaps in Himalayan forest‑fire management. It noted the absence of dedicated research linking climate change to fire frequency, the reliance on foreign satellites and a diurnal monitoring gap, and the lack of a centralised database on fire‑related human casualties. The Committee recommended commissioning region‑specific climate‑fire studies, launching a geostationary fire‑monitoring satellite, establishing a national fire‑casualty register, and integrating fire alerts with the Cell Broadcast system. It also urged a coordinated pine‑needle (pirul) collection and utilisation programme to reduce fuel loads and generate livelihood benefits.