VALPOI
Even as the forest fires were finally extinguished at Satre and Chorla in Sattari, fresh fires broke out in the hills at Keri and Morlem in the taluka on Tuesday. Fires were also reported on a hill at Sanguem where the government's ambitious plan to set up IIT had failed and at three places in Cavelossim.
Responding to requests from the Forest Department, two helicopters were pressed into service in firefighting operations in Charvane hill, Chorla and Satre on Tuesday morning.
The two helicopters filled up water from Pissurlem and released it to douse the flames in these areas.
Sattari Mamlatdar Dashrath Gawas and senior officials of the forest department were in constant touch with the two Navy helicopters, as aerial operations were underway on Tuesday morning.
As the fires were extinguished at Charvane hill, Chorla and Satre, fresh fires were reported at Miracho hill and Vadir hill in Keri, while there was another fire at a hill in Morlem.
Firefighters from Bicholim and Valpoi fire stations were involved in operations to extinguish the fires at Keri.
There has been extensive damage to cashew plantations in Keri, causing huge losses to Arjun Yeso Majik, Ganesh Babalo Majik, Gopal Bamno Majik and Vasudev Vitthal Gawas.
Firefighting operations will continue in Morlem on Wednesday to extinguish these fires and to prevent the flames from spread to nearby areas.
On Tuesday afternoon, a fire broke out from the Parwad area of Karnataka and was seen approaching Goa.
“The forest department is on alert and is monitoring the spread of this fire. Forest teams have been working all through Monday night and Tuesday to extinguish the fires,” said Deputy Conservator of Forests Anand Jadhav.
Meanwhile, Sattari Mamlatdar Dashrath Gawas said a survey is underway to ascertain the losses due to the fires in Sattari.
“A panchnama will be prepared in this regard and a report will be submitted to the district collector,” said Gawas.
In Sanguem, the fire could be noticed from quite a distance from the main road and locals alleged the fire to have started by some miscreants. The hill does not have any private plantation on the top, but there are plantations on the foot of the hill.
The coastal village of Cavelossim witnessed as many as three separate fire accidents. Fire brigade rushed to Cavelosim after receiving a call and brought it under control within an hour, but not before destroying vegetation and coconut tree.
