The Kerala state Forest Department is likely to submit a final list of illegally geotagged locations to online map platforms to get them to remove the tags. Photo: Wikimedia CommonsIndiscriminate geotagging of locations in Kerala’s forests is now illegal. The Kerala government’s Forest Department has decided to find locations in the state’s forests that have been illegally geotagged by individuals on online map platforms and remove them.Rajesh Ravindran, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force for the state forest department, told The Indian Express that this is being done to prevent people from entering sensitive ecological spots at the expense of their lives and that of the animals and fauna which exist there.Earlier, Kozhikode Divisional Forest Officer M Joshil had sought the removal of Google Maps listings inside reserve forests in his district noting that these were encouraging illegal entry. Here’s what to know.Geotagging is the process of assigning a geographical location to a photo or video or any other pictorial representation on an online map. The process becomes illegal, according to the Kerala state government, if the location being added to the map is “a sensitive ecological spot”.Also in Explained | Why heavy rain repeatedly triggers landslides in KeralaThe state Forest Department has referred illegal geotagging to their IT wing to collate a list of such illegally tagged locations, which will then be forwarded to the Forest Management Wing.What can be done about already geotagged locations?The forest department is likely to submit a final list of illegally geotagged locations to online map platforms to get them to remove the tags. The department also plans to identify the individuals who uploaded the locations within the reserve and protected forest areas and initiate legal action.“Geo-tagging these sensitive locations on web mapping and navigation platforms had led to unlawful entry into reserve forests,” Ravindran said. According to him, even trekking trails used by forest department staff inside protected forest patches in Silent Valley have been made available on online maps.“These are ecologically sensitive locations,” Ravindran said.Why is illegal geotagging a worry?Story continues below this adThe places which are being illegally tagged are mountainous regions prone to disasters including mudslides, forest officials said.“Tourists in an effort to see the Kerala monsoon in all its beauty are stepping into such dangerous zones. The other reason to deem some geotagging as illegal is that wildlife corridors are being exposed. We do not want humans to come in contact with the big cats, elephants and bison without the permission of the forest staff,” Ravindran said.NewsletterFollow our daily newsletter so you never miss anything important. On Wednesday, we answer readers' questions.Subscribe“The sanctity of such areas will have to be preserved and not anyone can enter these places for tourism purposes,” he added. Ravindran said that he hopes online maps remove such illegal geotagged locations from their platforms once “the forest department writes to them”.What other action is being planned?Ravindran said that he has instructed his team to get in touch with human inhabitations near these sensitive zones.Story continues below this ad“We are in touch with the local bodies to set up a regulatory mechanism to prevent illegal entry and tagging,” he said.Nikhila Henry is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Hyderabad. With a career spanning 17 years, she has established herself as an authoritative voice on South Indian affairs, specialising in the complex intersections of politics, education, and social justice. Experience & Career: Nikhila commenced her journalism career in 2007 as an education correspondent for The Times of India in Hyderabad,where she gained recognition for her coverage of student politics. Her professional trajectory includes a four-year tenure at The Hindu, where she focused on minority affairs and social welfare. In 2019, she took on a leadership role as the South Bureau Chief for The Quint, where she directed regional coverage across all five South Indian states. Her expansive career also includes a tenure at the BBC in New Delhi and contributions to prestigious international outlets such as The Sunday Times (London) and HuffPost India. Expertise & Focus Areas Nikhila’s reportage is marked by a deep-seated understanding of grassroots movements and institutional policy. Her core focus areas include: Regional Politics: Comprehensive analysis of the socio-political dynamics across South India. Education & Student Movements: Chronicling the evolution of Indian academics and the rise of youth activism. Minority Affairs: Rigorous reporting on the welfare, rights, and challenges facing marginalized communities. National Beat: Elevating regional stories to national prominence through investigative and on-ground reporting. Authoritativeness & Trust A respected figure in Indian media, Nikhila is not only a seasoned reporter but also an accomplished author and editor. She authored the critically acclaimed book The Ferment: Youth Unrest in India and edited Caste is Not a Rumour, a collection of writings by Rohith Vemula. Her dual background in daily news reporting and long-form authorship allows her to provide readers with a nuanced, historically-informed perspective on contemporary Indian society. Find all stories by Nikhila Henry here. ... Read More Tags:Express Explained