Paddy straw on 7 acres destroyed

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, March 16

A paddy straw dump in Kapurthala caught fire on Wednesday in which paddy straw sent in by farmers, meant to be sent to a paper mill for use, stored across a seven-acre place, was gutted. RS MP Balbir Singh Seechewal joined the over eight-hour efforts to douse the flames, after leaving an ongoing event midway.

Sparks from power lines set bales on fire

• The fire took place in the Haiderabad Dona village of Sultanpur Lodhi on a seven-acre land where a private company had stored paddy straw bales
• During the hot afternoon wind, a tree branch broke and fell on electricity wires, the sparks from which, set the bales on fire
• The fire spread quickly, gutting the straw in the area
• RS MP Seechewal left an event in Nirmal Kutia to arrive at the spot. He also aided the rescue and fire-dousing efforts
• He said farmers had made special efforts to conserve and separate the straw this year

Tragically, the straw is collected by progressive farmers to be put to further use, and to aid the environmental conservation efforts. Over 30 fire brigade vehicles were pressed into use for over eight hours, to put out the huge fires, which ravaged the stored straw.

The fire took place in the Haiderabad Dona village of Sultanpur Lodhi at a seven-acre land where a private company had stored paddy straw bales. During the hot afternoon wind, a tree branch broke and fell on electricity wires, the sparking from which, set the straw bales on fire. The fire spread quickly, gutting the straw in the area.

RS MP Seechewal left an event in Nirmal Kutia to arrive at the spot. He also aided the rescue and fire-dousing efforts. Seechewal noted that the farmers of the region had made special efforts to conserve and separate the straw this year and got it picked from their fields to be kept here.

Notably, the land had been given on contract by the sarpanch of the Chakchela village to a private company for the paddy straw dump. The sarpanch of the Joga Singh village said the straw was supposed to be picked up on February 25, but that did not happen due to some reason.

Sources said, “The straw was supposed to be picked up in time. The storage of straw is becoming a chore for villages and farmers. At many places no one knows what to do with these straw bales.”

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