The dry grass fire that engulfed a field at Cambrabhat, Taleigao, earlier this week was so severe that residents of nearby homes and apartments – many of them children and senior citizens – were forced to move to safer places as thick smoke invaded their houses and made breathing difficult. According to the directorate of fire and emergency services, 30 people, including two elderly individuals aged 95 and 70 years, were rescued, and a government ambulance was also summoned to attend to any potential medical emergencies.
The fire, which began on a small patch of grass close to noon, when wind speeds are generally high, rapidly spread across an entire swathe of farmland and was so severe that even personnel of the fire and emergency services were overwhelmed in trying to contain it. This is despite the fact that fire tenders from the Panjim headquarters as well as the Pilerne and Porvorim fire stations were deployed to help quell the fire as quickly as possible. The situation was compounded by the fact that although several fire tenders were at hand, the could not access the fields due to lack of an adequate road.
However, while no major injuries to people were reported, the local ecology took the greatest hit with more than 50 snakes, frogs and tortoises being charred in the blaze. Firefighters said that crops that were cultivated in the vicinity of the blaze site were also destroyed. Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane subsequently confirmed that a departmental team had been tasked with assessing the damage and that a detailed report was awaited.
Residents of the area hardly began settling back into their homes, when yet another fire erupted in another patch of farmland in the area just two days later, filling the air with a blanket of thick smoke and causing the people to panic once more. While they believe that such fires are sparked by the annual practice of stubble-burning during the summer, they have underscored the risks associated with this act, given that the Taleigao-Caranzalem belt has rapidly evolved from a sparsely populated locale to a semi-urban and urban area over the span of a few years.
There is yet another section of the local population that believes the yearly field fires are slowly but surely wiping out the village’s biodiversity. Residents accuse the local authorities concerned of turning a blind eye not only to the recurring large-scale blazes but also to the fact that landfilling is being carried out in many farmlands under the guise of legitimacy. They say that while the government on one hand talks about creating ‘green lungs’ for the state, it allows natural vegetation to be destroyed blatantly and in full public view on the other so that the construction of luxury apartments can be facilitated for the benefit of non-locals with deep pockets.
Whatever be the case, it is crucial that farm fires be nipped in the bud before the situation at Taleigao and Caranzalem go from bad to worse. It is common knowledge that a majority of farmers intentionally set their fields on fire to quickly clear them for the cultivation of the next crop and because the find the practice – however detrimental to the environment – to be cost-effective.
But the actual cost of farm fires is far dearer. Such blazes release large amounts of smoke, particulate matter, and greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, contributing significantly to air pollution, which can lead to respiratory and cardiovascular problems, particularly for vulnerable populations. Also, burning crop residue results in the loss of essential soil nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and sulphur, impacting soil fertility.
Legislations to curb such occurrences also seem to lack teeth. Across the country, burning any pollution-causing material, except fuel, is prohibited under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. Going by the blatant and regular farm fires at Taleigao, it is all but clear that those involved in the act rest assured that they can go scot-free and therefore continue to go about their practice with impunity.
Panch member of Taleigao, Agnelo Da Cunha, recently confirmed to the media that farmers do, in fact, set fire to the stubble in their fields. He, however, said they should exercise caution while doing this. He also singled out the local communidade and said that it should take the necessary action as the blazes mainly destroy land belonging to the communidade.
Yes, a lot must be done and a lot more suggestions can be offered from various sections of society. But will these translate into action on the ground? Or will the fields and the fauna continue to burn on the altar of complacency and collusion? Only time will tell.