Forest Department starts collating all illegally geo-tagged locations in Kerala forests

The Forest Department has decided to take stock of all locations in Kerala’sforests that have been illegally geo-tagged by individuals on online map platforms. The Kerala Forest Department’s IT wing is collating a list of these locations, which will then be forwarded to the Forest Management Wing.

It is learnt that the department will submit the final list to online map agencies and platforms, seeking the removal of these locations from the maps. Moreover, the department plans to identify the individuals who uploaded these locations within the reserve and protected forest areas and initiate legal action.

Geo-tagging these sensitive locations on web mapping and navigation platforms is leading to unlawful entry into reserve forests, said a Forest official.

“Even trekking trails used by forest staff inside protected forest patches in Silent Valley to the camp sheds, etc., have been made available on online maps. These are sensitive locations and information. We believe this could have been put up by the volunteers who must have come to assist us in any of the wildlife census programmes,” said the official. Knowing that the move endangers humans as well as wildlife, the official added that strict action will be taken against those involved. “Forests are not places you can randomly picnic at. These are the homes of wild animals and hey need to be respected,” the official added.

Earlier, Kozhikode Divisional Forest Officer M. Joshil had sought the removal of Google Maps listings inside reserve forests in the district. Noting that these were unauthorised map pins and that the uploaded photographs are encouraging illegal entry into protected areas, he had taken up the issue with the Department’s IT wing.

Following this, the forest department initiated the move to take note of all such locations in Kerala forests.

“Such activities put everyone at risk. Of late, we have been dealing with many such cases of illegal entry of individuals into the forests and eventually carrying out the subsequent rescue activities when they get trapped. It can lead to human-Wildlife conflict due to someone else’s irresponsible behaviour,” said Mr. Joshil.