Spike in fire accidents across erstwhile Karimnagar district linked to burning of paddy stalks

A sharp rise in fire accidents across the erstwhile Karimnagar district has been linked to the burning of leftover paddy stalks. Officials and farmers’ associations have urged cultivators to stop the practice, citing damage to farmland, orchards, cattle sheds and soil fertility.

Karimnagar: Never before in recent years, this many fire accidents have taken placing in the erstwhile Karimnagar district, as in the last few days. Though it is a common thing for fire accidents to take place during summer season, the number of instances is high this time around.

Burning of paddy stalks is the main reason for fire accidents which cause huge damage to mango orchards, date palm tree orchards, haystacks and others. Despite agricultural and fire service department officialswarning against the burning of paddy straws, farmers are continuing the practice.

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Though the farmers are using fire to burn leftover stalks, flames are spreading to nearby areas due to strong winds and due to the prevaiing heat wave conditions in the state during the last few days.

When the crop was harvested manually, the small size stalks used to be left in the fields. While preparing the lands for the next season, farmers used to till the land along with stalks which later would convert as natural manure.

However, big size straws are being left in the fields since harvesting machines are being used to harvest the crop. So, farmers are burning leftover stalks before the preparation of lands though it damages 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 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 caught 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.

So, 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.