Goans have been overwhelmed by the number of forest fires during the last few days. Since Saturday, the State has witnessed at least 20 major forest fires with fire raging on the hillocks and destroying cashew plantations.
Initially, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant as well as the Forest Minister Vishawajit Rane had suspected that the fires could be a result of foul play by miscreants, however, by Wednesday evening the suspect for the fires were the weather conditions. The Minister has informed that an inquiry into the fires will be conducted and a report will be submitted.
However, all the forest fires so far defy the logic of weather conditions leading to these fires since Goa’s climate isn’t extreme, and in light of the changes that are seen recently, environmentalists and scientists point the finger of suspicion at human interference in the forest land. Experts point out that, surprisingly, all the major fires that have been witnessed have occurred on hillocks or dense forests, which is not a natural phenomenon under the present circumstances of weather.
Goa being located in the tropical region, scientists believe that it’s next to impossible for incidental or natural forest fires due to the humid climate alongwith the moisture and wetness in the ground.
The Forest Survey of India (FSI) considers the period between November and June as the fire season. It recorded 45 fires during the fire season of November 2019 to June 2020 and 47 fires between November 2020 and June 2021. The FSI recorded that these nearly 100 fires in the State included large, continuous and repeated fires. However, the FSI has stated that none of the forest areas in Goa fall under the fire-prone categories, clearly indicating that fires in Goa are possibly a result of mischief.
Even the Goa State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC) could not ascertain the cause of forest fires in the State to climate change. In its report in 2020, the SAPCC stated that the forest fire phenomenon can get intensified due to climate change, though enough documented proof is not available on whether forest fire incidents have increased in Goa due to climate change or human activities.
The suspicions over human interference weigh higher due to the rapid hill cutting and encroachment over forest land across the State. It is a no-brainer to be informed that Goa’s land and especially the hillocks have very high value for their location, and mega projects and constructions have lined up in active mode during the last two decades and more. And getting a vantage point or a bird’s-eye view for a mansion is every millionaire’s dream.
From mega housing projects to massive hotels, with all amenities to cater to the ever-grown demands of domestic as well as foreign tourists, second innings homes are being promoted by almost every big brand real estate developer in the country.
The government has an uphill task to uncover the truth behind the sudden spike in forest fires. It is the responsibility of the government to break the vicious cycle of first destroying the plantations, then leaving the land barren and in a few years the land being converted into development property. The loopholes in the laws are too many and the government ought to have the determination to act against such illegalities.
Almost all the properties that are sought to be developed in the name of real estate or hinterland tourism fall under the jurisdiction of the villages. And with the lackadaisical approach towards preserving the lands, applicants make merry as those responsible to approve or reject permissions, sit over the files, and let the permissions be deemed granted, ensuring that the legal loophole is well utilised by the proponents.
While the government seeks to determine the cause of the current spike in forest fires, it should also place an inquiry into the history of land conversions and mega projects.
