Siraha, February 17
Sugarcane planted across 30 bigha of land in Siraha district was destroyed when a fire broke out and spread across the sugarcane field at Ghaletole at Lahan Municipality-13 in Siraha district on Monday noon.
According to preliminary police details, fire caused an estimated loss of around Rs 11.6 million to 25 local sugarcane farmers. DSP Kailash Rai, also the Chief of the Area Police Office, Lahan, shared that a police team was immediately deployed to the site after receiving information that the fire had erupted in the middle of the sugarcane plantation in the afternoon. DSP Rai further said that with the assistance of residents, the fire was prevented from spreading to nearby human settlements.
After the water jetting motor of the fire engine from the Lahan Municipality malfunctioned, a backup support was immediately sought from Golbazar Municipality, which completely extinguished the blaze after four hours of coordinated efforts among the security personnel, firemen and residents. Police suspect that the fire may have been caused by a discarded cigarette or bidi or possibly set intentionally, since it started from the middle of the sugarcane field.
An investigation has been launched into the incident. Farmer Ram Lakhan Mandal, expressing his distress, said that he had planned to sell the sugarcane to manage household expenses and repay loans.
“Even the investment has sunk,” he grieved, calling on the authorities to identify the culprits and bring them to book. He also demanded due compensation to farmers like him whose cash crop has been gutted by fire. Another victim, farmer Kapil Dev Yadav, also sought legal action against anyone found responsible. “Whoever has set fire to a sugarcane field has committed a crime against farmers,” he lamented.
According to him, sugarcane yields an average of 30 to 35 quintals per kattha with adequate fertiliser and irrigation facilities. He mentioned that when sold to the sugar industry, farmers receive Rs 620 per quintal along with a government subsidy of Rs 70, totalling Rs 690 per quintal. Based on this estimate, around 18,000 quintals of sugarcane are believed to have been destroyed by fire, putting the projected loss at approximately Rs 12.42 million.
