Beed: A massive fire broke out at the Sahyadri Devarai afforestation project near Beed town on Wednesday around 9pm, reducing thousands of trees to ashes and causing extensive damage to vegetation on the hill. The incident has triggered widespread concern among nature lovers and environmental activists.
According to initial information, flames were first spotted in a section of the hill around 9pm. Within a short span, the fire intensified and spread rapidly across the hill range.
Officials from the Forest Department and the Beed Municipal Council’s fire brigade rushed to the spot on receiving the information. However, firefighting operations proved challenging due to the hilly terrain and steep slopes.
Forest officials, fire personnel and local youths worked relentlessly to bring the fire under control. Efforts to douse the flames continued till late at night on a war footing.
The Sahyadri Devarai project was conceptualised and spearheaded a few years ago by actor and environmentalist Sayaji Shinde on the once-barren hill near Beed. Thousands of saplings were planted and carefully nurtured over the years, gradually transforming the area into a lush green forest zone. The fire has now raised fears that years of hard work and conservation efforts have suffered a severe setback.
Preliminary reports indicate that several indigenous tree species, medicinal plants and newly planted saplings were reduced to ashes. The incident has also dealt a major blow to the hill’s biodiversity.
Forest department officials have launched an investigation to determine whether the fire was caused by natural factors or was deliberate.
