NT Reporter
Canacona
A massive fire on Wednesday afternoon destroyed around 100 yielding cashew trees, while prompt action by the owner and the Fire and Emergency Services helped save the remaining grove of nearly 1,000 trees.
The fire broke out in a neighbouring plot at around 12 noon and quickly spread in all directions. Nearly one lakh square metres of land was reduced to
ashes in the blaze.
A passerby noticed the fire shortly after 12.15 pm and alerted the owner of the cashew plantation as strong afternoon winds were pushing the flames rapidly towards the grove. The owner immediately contacted the Fire and Emergency Services. However, as the fire station is located at Chapolim, the fire tender took some time to reach the spot. By then, the flames had already spread to the plot with the dense
cashew plantation.
Leading firefighter Prashant Velip, along with driver operator Krunal Komarpant and firefighters Amresh Mokhardkar, Sajjan Mudkudkar and Gautham Velip, brought the fire under control within ten minutes, providing relief to the farmer.
As the discharge pipe from the fire tender could not reach a distant section that was ablaze, fire personnel used tree twigs to beat down the flames, to prevent further spread.
A portion of land belonging to the Forest Department was also affected. Forest Department staff later arrived at the site to ensure that the fire had been completely extinguished.
The owner of the cashew plantation has filed a complaint at Canacona police station seeking an investigation into suspected sabotage. The owner has stated that the fire has caused a financial loss of over Rs 1 lakh and led to
environmental damage.
According to available data, Canacona has recorded 411 fire incidents in the past five years, of which 333 involved
plantation or horticulture crops, resulting in losses amounting to crores of rupees. These incidents have generally been
classified as wildfires.
It is noted that most plantation fires occur during the cashew season, which begins in February and continues until April.
