Fire on HIDCO land at New Town

Kolkata: Some people set the grass on fire on a vacant plot belonging to the Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation ( HIDCO) in New Town.

Two fire tenders fought the blaze for two hours before brining it under control.

No one was injured in the incident. Senior Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation officials said some people might have set the grass on fire to prepare fodder.

People saw smoke coming out of the vacant plot situated close to the Mother's Wax Museum near Pancha More around 10.30 am.

Due to the thick smoke the visibility dropped and cars coming towards Kolkata were diverted as the divers could not see anything. The smoke which was carried by wind affected people,particularly the elderly ones, who complained of breathing difficulty and burning sensation in the eyes.

Local people informed the police and fire brigade. The police cordoned off the area to facilitate fire fighters to put out the flame.

Local people alleged that some people staying in the nearby villages often set the grass on vacant land on fire.

However, they could not be caught as they leave the area after setting the grass on fire. On earlier occasions, the quantum of fire was not so intense but the intensity of the fire that broke on Thursday was so high that it affected the residents of nearby buildings badly.

They demanded action against the habitual offenders.