Pune: Short circuit causes fire in farm

A spark caused by a short circuit in the power cables ignited a standing crop of sugarcane and about 300 vines of grapes on farmland, causing a loss of nearly Rs 13 lakh to three farmers. The incident occurred today at about 2 p.m. in Khadakwadi, Junnar taluka, Pune district, Maharashtra.

Farmers Dadabhau Khaire and Tanaji Bhau Khaire provided information on the incident. Tanaji Bhau Khaire, Limbaji Maruti Shete, has a sugarcane farm near the Meena branch canal in Khadakwadi. A short circuit in the power lines running through the farm caused the sugarcane to catch fire this afternoon.

A standing crop of sugarcane and drip tubes scattered across 10 acres of Limbaji Shete's and Tanaji Khaire's land were burned in 1.5 hours. Shete and Khaire suffered a loss of Rs 10 lakh. Abaji Katore's vineyard sits adjacent to the sugarcane field. Katore lost Rs 3 lakh when three hundred grapes in the yard caught fire. Dadabhau Khaire informed the village worker Talathi and officials from the electricity company.