NAROWAL: A fire broke out in a wheat field, reducing crop on 25 acres of land to ashes here on Wednesday at Gharota village in the outskirts of Shakargarh tehsil.

Reports said the fire spread rapidly due to strong wind. The fire burnt crops of landlords Muhammad Hayat and Allah Bakhsh.

Local Rashid Naseem said he had called Rescue 1122 as soon as the fire erupted but rescuers could not reach the spot on time.

In another incident, a fire erupted in a wheat field in Banial village. With the help of locals, the flames were doused. The wheat crop on one acre land was damaged.

Local Nisar Ahmed said the fire wasted the hard work of farmers who had taken loan from middlemen for fertilisers and other inputs.

“Growers sell their crops to pay off debts and now they are worried over the loss,” he said.

The growers have demanded that the chief minister provide them financial assistance for payment of loan.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2021