Jan. 10: The fire at Gauhati Goshala in Athgaon has destroyed fodder worth over Rs 40 lakh, reports based on preliminary estimates stated today.

An official of the goshala said the management would complete taking stock of the damage done by Saturday night?s fire in a couple of days.

The management has also decided to institute an in-house inquiry to find out what led to the fire that originated in the haystack.

This is the first fire at the goshala in the 132 years of its existence. The goshala is the second largest cowshed in the country.

?We do not want to blame anyone or hold anybody responsible for the fire, but the incident should serve as an eye-opener for the management. The authorities should now try to plug the loopholes in the current security arrangements at the goshala,? the official said.

It is suspected that negligence on the part of the ground staff had led to the fire, sources said.

The authorities today requested the Kamrup metropolitan administration to send a team of experts from the College of Veterinary Sciences immediately to determine if the remaining fodder is fit for consumption.

A team of experts was today scheduled to visit the cowshed, but was forced to cancel it.

The cowshed has 1,202 animals. The fire did not damage the shed, located at a distance from the haystack.