Officials scramble as second blaze in three days raises safety concerns; Bijapur DFO removed following Rs 10 crore loss

A government tendu leaf warehouse in Bastar's Sargipal area went up in flames on Wednesday evening, destroying nearly 1,000 sacks of stored leaves. The incident marks the second major fire at a tendu leaf storage facility in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region within just three days.

Firefighting teams and forest department personnel took several hours to bring the blaze under control. No casualties have been reported.

Stock from Sukma destroyed

The gutted stock belonged to neighbouring Sukma district and was approximately one year old, according to forest department officials. It had been kept at the Sargipal facility for safekeeping.

Initial assessments suggest a short circuit may have triggered the fire, though officials said investigations are still underway. "The exact cause will be confirmed only after a thorough inspection," a forest department source told reporters on condition of anonymity.

Bijapur fire loss crosses Rs 10 crore

Monday's fire at a private tendu leaf warehouse in Bijapur district has turned out to be far more devastating. Approximately 18,000 sacks were reduced to ashes, with initial damage estimates crossing Rs 10 crore.

The Bijapur incident has triggered administrative action. State forest minister Kedarnath Kashyap held a high-level review meeting following the blaze, after which Bijapur Divisional Forest Officer Ramesh Kumar Jangade was removed from his post.

Sagar Jadhav has been appointed as the new DFO. Officials have been directed to conduct an impartial investigation into the matter.

Insurance angle under scrutiny

Authorities are now examining whether the massive stock losses are linked to any insurance claim irregularities. Tendu leaf inventories of this scale are typically insured, raising questions about possible foul play.

Forest department officials confirmed they will investigate whether the warehouses had adequate safety measures in place, if the tendu leaf stock was properly insured, and what precisely caused both fires.

So far, no official confirmation has emerged regarding any insurance connection.

What happens next

Forest department teams remain at both sites conducting damage assessments. Officials said enhanced safety protocols for tendu leaf storage facilities across the region are likely to be reviewed in the coming days.

The back-to-back incidents have also raised concerns among tendu leaf collectors and local stakeholders who depend on the trade for their livelihoods. Tendu leaves are a major non-timber forest produce in Chhattisgarh, forming a crucial source of income for thousands of families in Bastar division.