Reclaiming Forests in Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve

Anecdote: For nearly two decades, vast stretches of forestland inside the Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh were steadily eaten away by encroachers. What once was a thriving jungle had, by 2020, turned into cleared plots and illegal settlements. The challenge before the Forest Department was immense: how to reclaim 1,800 acres of land spread across seven major habitats, while facing resistance from over 300 encroachers and even attacks on forest staff.

Varun Jain, a young forest officer, chose not to rely on force alone. He turned to technology. With the help of the National Remote Sensing Centre of ISRO, he studied satellite imagery dating back to 2008, comparing it with recent drone-mapped visuals from 2022. The evidence was stark: all settlements had come up only after 2008, which meant they were not protected under the Forest Rights Act. Armed with data and law, the department launched a carefully planned anti-encroachment drive.

It was no easy task. Forest teams faced hostility, threats, and the shadow of Maoist presence. Yet, after two years of sustained effort, they succeeded. The reclaimed 1,800 acres, valued at over ₹500 crore, are now being restored to create inviolate spaces for herbivores and carnivores. The result: reduced man-animal conflict, improved biodiversity, and lower compensation payouts for crop loss.

The initiative also spurred innovation. In 2022, the department developed its own Google Earth Engine-powered Remote Sensing Portal, powered by AI and ML, to monitor weekly changes in forest cover and identify hotspots of deforestation. This blend of courage, technology, and persistence turned a daunting battle into a success story of conservation.

Relevance in UPSC Exam Syllabus:

• Essay:

• Environment & Development Balance: Fits essays on “Sustainable development is the key to future prosperity” or “Forests are the lungs of the Earth.” Technology for Governance: Illustrates how satellite mapping, AI, and drones strengthen environmental governance. Human–Nature Relationship: Symbolises the moral responsibility of protecting biodiversity amidst human pressures.

• Environment & Development Balance: Fits essays on “Sustainable development is the key to future prosperity” or “Forests are the lungs of the Earth.”

• Technology for Governance: Illustrates how satellite mapping, AI, and drones strengthen environmental governance.

• Human–Nature Relationship: Symbolises the moral responsibility of protecting biodiversity amidst human pressures.

• GS4: Ethics

• Integrity & Courage → Officer took bold action despite threats and resistance. Accountability & Responsibility → Used law and evidence to ensure justice. Ethical Leadership: Leadership through innovation (remote sensing portal). Persistence despite Maoist threats, showing courage of conviction.

• Integrity & Courage → Officer took bold action despite threats and resistance.

• Accountability & Responsibility → Used law and evidence to ensure justice.

• Ethical Leadership: Leadership through innovation (remote sensing portal). Persistence despite Maoist threats, showing courage of conviction.

• Leadership through innovation (remote sensing portal).

• Persistence despite Maoist threats, showing courage of conviction.