Anil Mishra
anilkumar@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: A day after a massive fire engulfed a dry grass field at Cambrabhat, Taleigao — destroying crops, killing reptiles and sending residents fleeing from their homes — locals have expressed serious concern, calling the incident a wake-up call for the authorities.
Juliet Fernandes, who lives next to the field, described the chaos that unfolded. “Our house was filled with smoke. My neighbour told me to get out immediately. I couldn’t even pick up my dogs because they were too scared to move. Though the fire has been extinguished, it has left an impact on us,” she told
O Heraldo.
In response to the incident, local resident Cecille Rodrigues has written to the Secretary of the Taleigao Village Panchayat, urging the formation of an expert committee to investigate the cause of the fire and propose preventive measures.
“We urge immediate action to tackle the recurring problem of field fires in Taleigao, especially during the dry months of April and May. We request a committee meeting involving village citizens and relevant departments to work together toward a long-term solution,” Rodrigues said.
Fernandes pointed out that fires had occurred in the area earlier too, but none matched the scale of this incident.
“This time it was too much. Fortunately, my children were not at home. Trees like chickoo, coconut, mango, and jackfruit have all been burnt. It’s heartbreaking — we plant these trees with love,” said Fernandes.
“But the lack of road access also meant fire tenders and ambulances couldn’t reach us in time,” he added.
Another resident, Francis Coelho, pointed fingers at years of inaction. “The Taleigao fields are shrinking. Illegal land-filling is being carried out under the guise of legitimacy, and the former MLA never intervened. Even now, with fields burning, there is no concern from our local representatives,” he said.
“Every year someone sets fire to the fields, and every year residents are forced to shut their doors and windows. It’s sad that neither the Taleigao nor the Panjim MLAs are taking responsibility,” Coelho added.
Local activist Mariano Ferrao raised broader environmental concerns. “The biodiversity of the area is being wiped out. Taleigao is rapidly turning into a concrete jungle. On one hand, ministers talk about creating ‘lungs’ for the city, while on the other, they allow natural vegetation to be destroyed. This urbanisation is clearly not for Goans – it’s catering to outsiders who can afford luxury flats,” he said.
Another resident, speaking on the condition of anonymity, recalled the intensity of the smoke. “The fire has been put out, but the smell still lingers. Yesterday, it was so thick we couldn’t even see our vehicles. Initially, we didn’t know where the smoke was coming from. Once we realised, we ran down to the scene. There was a fire last year too, but not of this magnitude. Maybe the wind made it worse this time.”
Meanwhile, personnel from the Forest Department visited the site and recovered five dead tortoises and two snakes from the scorched vegetation.
Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane confirmed that a departmental team had been dispatched to assess the damage and that a detailed report was awaited.