Personnel of Ponda fire services kept on their toes
Vehicles stranded for hours at Khandepar
THE GOA NETWORK
PONDA
The personnel of the Fire and Emergency Services in Ponda had a heavy workload as incidents of uprooting of trees were reported in many parts of the taluka, following heavy pre-monsoon showers.
A tamarind tree which had uprooted on the main road near the bridge at Khandepar-Ponda on Monday evening, was cleared on Tuesday at about 10 am.
Fire personnel from Kundaim and Ponda removed the fallen tree, while Panch Sandeep Khandeparkar also assisted in the operations by providing manpower and an excavator.
Vehicles were stranded for long hours at Khandepar till a portion of the tree was cut and the road was totally cleared on Tuesday morning.
Rains lashed Ponda taluka on Monday evening leaving people stranded on roads due to uprooting of trees. Incidents of uprooting of trees were reported at Savoiverem, Kundaim, Khandepar and Bandora, while water entered shops at many places in the city. A shop owner from the Commerce Centre contacted the fire brigade for assistance.
The Ponda fire brigade received calls from residents in Nirankal and Khadpaband seeking assistance to pump out water from their houses. Ponda fire brigade received nine calls to attend to rain-related incidents.
Sources from Ponda fire brigade informed that they have written a letter to the Deputy Collector's office to provide an excavator during monsoon season to help in clearing away mud on the roads and to clear the roads of fallen trees and branches.
“We also require a power saw to cut large trees which uproot,” the source said.
On Tuesday, a tree uprooted and fell on a garage near Goa Dairy in Curti, causing damages of about Rs 20,000. Elsewhere, a house was partially damaged after a tree came crashing down on the structure belonging to Ramesh Kerkar at Akar-Mardol on Tuesday afternoon.
Kundaim fire brigade personnel informed that they rushed to the site. “A portion of the house was damaged, after a tree fell on it. We rushed to the spot and cleared the area,” said an officer at the fire station.
