PONDA
According to the fire personnel, one fire tender was sent on April 29, while four fire tenders on the second day. “The forest officials were combating the fire till 3 am on Sunday. On Monday, we sent two more tenders to douse the fire,” informed the fire officer.
As many as seven fire tenders have been used. On Sunday, the fire had spread to thick forest area. The personnel had a tough time in reaching the area.
On Monday afternoon, the fire started on another side along the bypass road at Borim and the fire personnel had to rush there.
Both the departments are still unclear as to how the fire started in the forest area. Many Nilgiri trees are reported to have been destroyed in the fire incidents.
When contacted, the officer on duty at the fire station in Ponda said they have been receiving calls of fire incidents in the area since the last four days.
“We are really concerned about the ecosystem in the forest. We have informed the forest department to take measures and check if anyone was setting the forest on fire. The incidents are taking place at night, and it becomes difficult to extinguish the fire,” said a fire personnel.
Deepak Betkikar, Range Forest Officer, told The Goan that when fire brigade officials inform them about the fire incidents, they have rushed to the spot. “We don’t know how fire broke out in the area. We will have to ascertain the cause,” Betkikar said. Sources informed that forest officials had to engage daily wage workers to douse the fire. “The area is so wide, that many persons are required to douse the fire,” a fire officer on condition of anonymity said.
