CHAPOLI, CANACONA: Just two months ago, forest fires across the length and breadth of Goa had caught national attention, as the authorities and government struggled to douse the flames.
Now a massive forest fire that raged at the picturesque hills at Chapoli Dam in Canacona for two days – May 1 and 2 – has left a trail of destruction.
A ground inspection by Herald TV showed that numerous trees had been gutted in the fire, especially cashew trees along the stretch where the fire raged. According to the local forest department, while the exact affected area would be known only after an official audit, it is estimated that almost a 4 sq km area was gutted.
While speaking to locals, they said that multiple SOS calls were made to the authorities, but only a few translated into fire fighters reaching at the spot. As the fire tankers struggled to douse the flames, the terrain posed another challenge, as water tankers could not access the higher ranges of the three affected hills.
This is when locals scrambled to get the help of helicopters from the defense as well as the disaster management but to no avail, they informed.
When contacted, the Navy officials said that they haven’t received any request for choppers yet.
According to a local Sanjay Malgovagonkar, who was one of the first persons to initially notice the fire, remarked that it spread extremely fast.
“Now that fire dousing operations have begun, many wild animals can be seen coming at night at the Chapoli Dam to drink water. From rabbits, deers, bison and wild cats, they all throng the watering hole,” said Malgovagonkar.
He further blamed mischievous elements and vendetta as locals had recently opposed the cutting of trees for an upcoming project.
The upcoming project Sanjay Malgovagonkar was referring to finds a mention in an SOS WhatsApp message that had gone viral across Goa during the fire. The viral WhatsApp message read:
“All this has conveniently transpired after the govt has given a thumbs-up for a bypass tunnel to cut through the Karmal Ghats after a survey saying that it will not endanger any wildlife or residences and a direct order to cut 14,000 trees. Locals and well-wishers managed to contest this and get a stay order on the highway project just days before the fire started”.
Meanwhile another local, Vaishnav Pednekar said that the fire could have been set up to divert people’s attention from the ongoing Mhadei issue.
“I definitely feel this is the reason. Hence the government needs to conduct an inquiry and give us justice,” added Pednekar.
Local environment lover Siddharth Gayak, while speaking to Herald TV said that now the government should have paid heed to the disaster management.
“In areas where the fire brigade couldn’t reach, helicopters should have been brought in. Some might state that it’s an area where locals don’t reside but one must think about the animals that live in these hills, which have now been sacrificed,” Gayak said
