Yet most still use old-school manual methods. No digital recorders. No real-time alerts. In 2026, we’re still waiting for the tech upgrade. Meanwhile, our wetland maps are stuck in 2007. Forest data? Sometimes more paperwork than trees. The CAG found 46,000 missing saplings in Madhya Pradesh; recorded as planted, but nowhere to be found. This isn’t a tech problem. It’s a priority problem. We’ve built real-time systems for UPI, welfare, and taxes. Why not for our air, water, and forests? Environmental data isn’t ‘nice to have’; it’s the foundation of smart policy, food security, and climate credibility. The fix? Simple. Set deadlines. Digitize every well. Refresh wetland maps every 5 years. Open forest data to public audits. Governance isn’t just about rules; it’s about knowing what’s really happening on the ground. Because you can’t fix what you don’t measure.