Muktsar, April 25: Two fire incidents within three days at the Muktsar grain market have stirred alarm among farmers, many of whom are rushing to sell their freshly harvested wheat. The latest blaze broke out on Thursday, damaging hundreds of wheat bags, officials confirmed.
While both incidents were contained swiftly by fire personnel, the repeated outbreaks have raised questions about safety protocols and the congested state of the grain market amid peak harvest season.
“We managed to prevent a major disaster, but the cause of the fire remains uncertain,” said Jaswinder Singh, the fire officer who led the Thursday operation. “There were no electric wires nearby that could have sparked it.”
The grain market is currently overwhelmed by wheat arrivals, with sacks piled high, leaving little room for movement or firefighting access. Farmers said they have been losing sleep over the dual threat of accidental field fires and now, the risk to their crops even after harvesting.
Concerns escalated further when the Grain Market Mazdoor Union accused the transport contractor of mismanaging vehicle deployment. Responding to the allegations, the civil administration launched a verification of the transport fleet on Thursday using the registration numbers submitted by the contractor.
“We began physical verification of the listed vehicles today,” said Surjit Singh, chairman of the Muktsar Market Committee. “Every step is being taken to ensure accountability.”
Farmers have now urged authorities to introduce tighter fire safety measures and streamline the transportation system.
“It’s not just our crops at stake—it’s our livelihoods,” said Gurmail Singh, a farmer from a nearby village. “The administration must act before more damage occurs.”
