Policy decision expected by GSPCB on farm fires
PANAJI
A massive blaze that tore through agricultural fields in Taleigao on Monday has laid bare serious lapses by some government bodies including the North Goa Collector’s office, the Agriculture Department and the local village panchayat despite prior warnings from fire officials and environmental officials about the growing threat of stubble burning in the area.
Sources revealed to The Goan that despite formal communications from the Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services and the Goa State Pollution Control Board, authorities allegedly failed to implement preventive measures against recurring farm fires.
“We had clearly advised the Agriculture Department that stubble burning should be banned entirely and action should be taken against those involved in the illegal activity,” a senior official revealed on condition of anonymity. While the Collectorate officials remained unavailable for comment, Agriculture Director Sandip Faldessai stated it was the GSPCB's domain.
Since the practice has still continued, the GSPCB has now contemplated a policy decision in line with the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) directives.
The NGT has long taken a firm stance on stubble burning, issuing state governments with binding instructions to formulate action plans and enforce bans, particularly during harvesting months. In a recent order, the tribunal raised concerns about fragmented enforcement and the absence of a unified strategy across states.
Goa has witnessed a spike in such incidents in recent years. Fire department officials admit that in many cases, the blazes are intentionally set by farmers to clear land for the next crop cycle. The Taleigao fire, which broke out around noon on Monday, proved particularly difficult to contain, with firefighting efforts stretching till around 6:30 pm.
“It was more intense than what residents are used to seeing. People are familiar with minor field fires, but this one escalated fast. There was thick smoke... Some of our firefighters also faced breathing issues during the operation but we managed to control the fire and evacuate residents to safety,” one of the firefighters said.
Activist Cecille Rodrigues, who has been raising environmental issues in Taleigao, described the fire as a “wake-up call.” In a letter addressed to the Taleigao village panchayat, Rodrigues demanded the immediate formation of an expert committee to investigate the fire, identify systemic lapses, and draft actionable solutions.
“This has been an ongoing issue that I have raised multiple times at the Gram Sabha,” Rodrigues wrote adding, “We now need an urgent joint meeting of citizens and departments. We are ready to assist in finding a long-term solution to this unsafe and recurring problem in our village.”
