In the village of Chivatgundi, situated in the Bailahongala taluk of Belgaum, a fire erupted on Monday, attributed to a short circuit. This unfortunate incident resulted in the scorching of approximately 30 acres of valuable sugarcane crops. Notably, the sugarcane fields that fell victim to this blaze were owned by eight local farmers, including Chennabasappa Mallur, Basanagowda Sanganagowda, Prashantha Patila, Basavaraja Mallur, Malleshappa Baganala, and Veeranagowda Mallur. The collective estimated worth of the damaged sugarcane is valued at around 50 lakhs.
Initial investigations by the police point to the likelihood that the fire’s origin can be traced back to electrical wires coming into contact with one another. The blaze also resulted in the destruction of essential equipment within the farm, including the irrigation motor, pipes, cables, and current boxes.
Distressed by the incident, the affected farmers have raised complaints, alleging that this unfortunate accident occurred due to the negligence of Hescom officials, who had not addressed their previous requests for power line repairs. As a result, a formal case has been registered at the Bailahongala police station, marking the beginning of inquiries into this regrettable incident.
