Gangtok, 29th March 2026
A Regional Workshop on “Fire Prevention and Mitigation Strategies” was successfully organized today at Gangtok, bringing together key stakeholders from across Northeast India to deliberate on strengthening forest fire mitigation systems, while also showcasing Sikkim’s exemplary work in forest fire prevention and response.
Workshop was organized by Forest and Environment Department, Government of Sikkim, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in collaboration with Indian Institute of Forest Management. The event witnessed participation from senior forest officials, disaster management authorities, domain experts, and field practitioners from multiple states.
In the inaugural session, Dr. Pradeep Kumar, Principal Secretary-cum-PCCF, Forest and Environment Department, Government of Sikkim, highlighted Sikkim’s proactive and effective approach towards forest fire prevention, emphasizing need for continued cross-sectoral coordination and strong community participation to sustain these achievements. He emphasised on the larger implications of forest fire including water scarcity and public health. He also thanked IIFM Bhopal for recognising Sikkim’s leadership in Forest Fire Prevention and Mitigation.
Shri. Prabhakar Rai, Director SSDMA presented his views on Forest Fire from the perspective of Disaster Management. He recognised the extensive cooperation between SSDMA and Forest and Environment Department with regard to various aspects of Disaster Management. He appreciated the various steps taken by Forest and Environment Department to collaborate with SSDMA & DDMAs and further called for greater coordination for all stakeholders.
Technical sessions featured presentations on state-level preparedness, institutional strategies, and field-level best practices in forest fire management across northeastern states. Officers from Sikkim Forest Department, including Shri Karma Legshey, CCF (HQ/T), and Shri Kshitij Saxena, DFO (T), Gangtok, presented Sikkim’s model, highlighting innovations in preparedness, coordination, early warning, rapid response systems, and predictive forest fire mapping which have significantly strengthened fire management outcomes in State.
Best practices from other states and agencies including Assam, Nagaland and National Remote Sensing Centre were also presented. Separate working groups focusing on community-centred fire prevention, strengthening early warning systems, improving institutional coordination, and enhancing fire response and post-fire recovery strategies presented their observations before the house.
In his closing remarks, Shri. Sandeep Tambe, Principal Secretary Education, Science and Technology Departments presented his observations on Forest Fire in Sikkim’s context. He appreciated the steps taken by the department and thanked the participants from North Eastern States for sharing their views and enriching the conference.
Workshop concluded with a roadmap for strengthening inter-state collaboration, integrating modern technology with traditional knowledge systems, and enhancing capacity at all levels to address emerging challenges posed by forest fires. The opportunity provided mid level and frontline officials with much needed state and national exposure regarding best practices for forest fire prevention and mitigation.
Forest and Environment Department, Government of Sikkim, reaffirms its commitment to safeguarding Sikkim’s forest wealth for Sikkimese people and nation and continuing its leadership in forest fire management through coordinated efforts, community participation and adoption of innovative practices.
Issued by:
Forest and Environment Department
Government of Sikkim
