Tendu leaves worth Rs 10 cr destroyed in fire at Chhattisgarh govt godown; dousing ops on

Tendu leaves worth more than Rs 10 crore were gutted after a fire broke out at a forest department godown in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Monday, officials said.

The blaze erupted at around 2.30 pm at a tendu leaf storage facility in Itpal village, Bijapur Divisional Forest Officer Ramesh Kumar Jangde said.

Prima facie, the loss is estimated to be more than Rs 10 crore, though the exact extent of damage will be known after the fire is fully extinguished, he added.

''The fire is expected to be brought under control within a few hours. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained,'' Jangde added.

Fire brigade personnel, police and district administration officials were immediately alerted, he said, adding that vehicles loaded with tendu leaves that were parked inside the premises were promptly moved out to prevent further damage.

Around 18,000 standard sacks of tendu leaves were stocked in the godown, several of which were stored in the open, officials said.

Tendu leaves are primarily used for manufacturing 'bidis' (leaf-wrapped cigarettes).

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