Beltangady: Rubber Plantation Catches Fire – Loss Estimated at Rs 8 lac

Beltangady, Feb 4: An accidental fire consumed large tracts of rubber plantation in Karimale in Chennaittody village in the taluk on Thursday February 3. The plantation is owned by Seetaram Pai. Loss due to fire is put at eight lac rupees. The fire, which spread on all sides, was controlled by fire brigade personnel, who rushed in from Moodbidri and Bantwal. The firemen had to fight for two hours before the fire could be controlled. It is felt that tall grass grown all over the plantation, which had turned completely dry, would have helped fire to spread rapidly. A few persons conveyed the message to the owner after seeing fire in the middle of the plantation at about 3 pm on Thursday. A large number of rubber plants, which were aged between two and three years, and which would have been ready by next year for tapping, have suffered maximum damages, it is gathered. Bantwal MLA, B Ramanath Rai, taluk panchayat member, B Padmashekhar Jain, and others rushed the spot after learning about the incident.