MARGAO: The Deputy Conservator of Forests for South Goa, Prem Kumar, has raised concerns about the increasing number of fire incidents in private forests in the district. Kumar has explained that the authorities are finding it
challenging to douse fires due to limited access to these areas. He has appealed to village panchayats and the public to remain vigilant and report any incidents of fire in private forests.
In recent days, several major fires have been reported in the South Goa district. These include fires at Paroda Hills in the Cuncolim constituency, the Chapoli Dam area in Canacona, as well as grass fires at Varca and Patnimorodd, Chinchinim. The fire in the Chapoli Dam area has been burning for several days, while authorities have yet to take control of the situation in Paroda Hills.
Kumar has highlighted that most fire incidents in South Goa occur in private forests, which are not easily accessible to authorities. While specific tracking routes are available in government forests, there are no such facilities in private forests. Kumar has emphasized that the lack of access to these areas has made it challenging to control the spread of fires.
A recent incident reported by residents of Varca involved a late-night fire on the roadside, near Varca beach. Several residents had to come out of their homes to try and douse the flames as there were no facilities available to tackle the fire. According to Salvador Pereira, a resident of Varca, the fire had spread to the residential area nearby, and citizens struggled to put it out themselves.
