Representational image
| Photo Credit: H. VIBHU
The Kerala Forest department on Friday (June 5, 2026) introduced a series of technology-driven initiatives aimed at improving public service delivery, monitoring infrastructure, and streamlining the management of forest-related cases.The initiatives include a 24/7 Forest Call Centre, an online reporting and monitoring portal for solar fences, and the integration of the (Hostile Activity Watch Kernel) platform for handling forest offence records to courts online through the District Court Management System (DCMS).The department has launched the call centre through its existing toll-free number 1800-425-4733. The service will be shifted to a three- or four-digit short code number once it becomes available, official sources said.The call centre will function as a single-window system for the public to obtain information related to the department, report the presence of wild animals outside forest areas, and request the removal of wild animals that enter human habitation areas.When requests relating to wildlife presence are received, the details will be recorded in a dedicated portal. The caller will then receive an SMS containing information that will enable them to track the status of actions taken. Simultaneously, the information will be forwarded through the WildWatch mobile application to the respective Division Forest Emergency Operation Centre (DFEOC), Rapid Response Team (RRT) or the range office for immediate field action.Solar fencesThe reporting system is meant to effectively monitor the functioning, maintenance, and inspection of solar fences across Kerala.While the collection of real-time information on the operational status and maintenance of solar fences has been a difficult and time-consuming process, steps have been adopted for all forest stations and sections to report the operational status of solar fences within their jurisdiction through an online portal.The system will record details including the length of functioning and non-functioning solar fences, damages, repairs and inspection records.All information reported from forest stations and sections will be consolidated in an online monitoring portal and displayed through a dashboard. The portal also helps identify stretches that have not been inspected for more than 48 hours since the last recorded inspection.The integration of the HAWK platform through the DCMS will enable the submission of records related to forest offences to courts. HAWK is an integrated platform developed by combining multiple modules, including crime management, wildlife mortality monitoring, data analytics, geospatial analysis, mobile applications, and command-and-control monitoring. Published - June 05, 2026 07:08 pm IST
