Team Herald
Bastora: A kilometer long stretch of mangroves were destroyed in a fire which broke out on the Bastora side of the National Highway 17 and the dry grass in the area fueled the fire on Wednesday.
Commuters could see huge clouds of black smoke behind the already thinning mangroves and those who gathered there had to helplessly watch them burn.
The fire broke out at 10 am and spread with the wind. Clouds of smoke were witnessed till late evening at the spot.
A reporter from Herald alerted the police and the Mapusa Fire Station about the fire. Locals suspect that the fire was deliberately started by some miscreants.
A fire brigade from Mapusa fire station rushed to the spot shortly after 2 pm and attempted to put off the fire. However, the firemen were left helpless as the fire was far beyond the reach of the fire tender.
A former NIO scientist and former member of the GCZMA, Dr Antonio Mascarenhas stated this area is marked by patches of mangroves along a tidal creek. “This zone constitutes a mangrove marsh and is classified as CRZ-I and hence are sacred areas out of bounds from human interference. This action of arson appears human induced. Mangrove marshes are known to generate hydrogen sulfide and methane which are inflammable. These days are also windy, factors due to which the fire must have spread quickly,” Mascarenhas said.
A fire official said that the panchayat and other municipalities should clear the weeds and other dry grass to prevent such incidents.
