Mangalore: Wildfire Breaks Out at Mallapadpu Island on Netravathi River

Pics: Prajwal Ukkuda
Daijiworld Media Network- Mangalore [RS / RD]

Mangalore, Jan 11: A wildfire broke out at Mallapadpu, an island of about 30 acres located on Netravati River, spotted from Ullal bridge near here on Sunday January 11 morning. 

The inhabitants residing in the neighbouring Adamkudru reported the wild fire at 10.30 a m on Sunday at Mallapadpu, an uninhabited island under the care of forest department.  Mallapadpu Island is lush with wild vegetation and frequented by migratory birds including peacocks and various species of reptiles were found in plenty before. 

The local sources informed that the island had much population of pigeons while large numbers of them seemed to have perished in the wild fire.

Owing to the difficulty in anchoring the boats in the vicinity of wild fire ravaged island, authorities are finding it difficult to curtail the wild fire.  The thick smoke engulfing from the island can be seen from the Ullal Bridge on National Highway 14.  The vultures and eagles are circling the island preying on dead pigeons and wild life. 

Dennis, the local boatman who took Daijiworld.com reporter and cameraman to the wild fire ravaged island, through the thick smoke found it extremely difficult to anchor at the shore. 

Speaking to Ibrahim, another boatman said that the locals living on the banks of Netravati River go there to collect firewood.  The reckless throwing of bidi butts might have ignited the fire in the dry grass; later gathered strength to engulf the entire 30 acres of Mallapadpu Island as thick clouds of smoke is still hovering over the island even at Sunday evening.

It seemed that forest department has not woken up to take early measures to extinguish the fire at Mallapadpu that was the abode of various species of local and migratory birds that thrived in uninhabited island.