Burning of leftover paddy stalks creates havoc in Karimnagar

A spike in fire accidents across the composite Karimnagar district has been linked to burning of leftover paddy stalks. The practice has damaged orchards, cattle sheds and crops, prompting officials and farmers’ groups to demand awareness drives and preventive measures.

Karimnagar: Never before in recent years, such a number of fire accidents have taken place as they did in the last few days in the composite Karimangar districgt. Though it is a common thing for fire accidents to take place during the summer season, the intensity is high this time around.

Burning of leftover paddy stalks is the main reason for fire accidents which caused huge damage to mango orchards, date palm tree orchards, haystacks and others.

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Despite agricultural and fire service department officials warning against the burning of leftover paddy straws, farmers are continuing the practice.
Though the farmers are setting fire to leftover stalks, fire is spreading to nearby areas due to strong winds and heat wave conditions in the state during the last few days.

When the crop was harvested manually, the small size stalks were left in the fields. While preparing the lands for the next season, farmers used to till the land along with stalks which would convert into natural manure.
However, big size straws are being left in the fields since harvesting machines are being used nowadays. So, farmers are burning leftover stalks before the preparation of lands though it causes harm to the land.

According to agricultural scientists, burning of leftover paddy stalks would rapidly destroy the soil’s organic matter, eliminate beneficial microbes, evaporate essential nutrients (like nitrogen and carbon), and bake the top layer of dirt, which increases erosion and leaves the land susceptible to long-term degradation and crop yields.

So, agricultural officials frequently appeal to the farmers against the burning of leftover paddy stalks. However, farmers would continue the practice by setting aside advice.

Besides land, it is also causing huge damage to other properties.
Two cattle were burnt alive and another one sustained severe injuries when the fire set to burn leftover paddy stalks nearby fields caught the cattle shed wherein the cattle were left by the owner. This incident took place in Munjampalli of Manakondur mandal on Sunday.

A mango orchard was caught on fire in Chikkuduvanipalli of Manakondur mandal on Saturday. On Friday, 15 quintals of seed variety paddy was burnt in Indurthi of Odela mandal.
In Jagtial district, date and palm tree orchards were burnt in Narsingapur, Metlachittapur, Konaraopet, Mohanraopet, Sirikonda and Thakkallapalli.

Similar incidents were taken place in Dharmaram, Madipalli of Jammikunta mandal. The leaders of farmers’ associations wanted the officials to conduct awareness programmes in a big way to create awareness among farmers against burning of leftover paddy stalks.