Kolkata: The central business district and other areas of the city cannot be made "fire-free" without the active involvement of the business community, who must adhere to fire safety norms while conducting their operations, said state fire minister Sujit Bose during a meeting with traders and market committee leaders on Tuesday. He said that the fire department would conduct fire safety awareness camps to educate traders about fire safety.
Last month, during the inauguration of a Jagaddhatri Puja in Posta, chief minister Mamata Banerjee urged traders in Burrabazar and Posta not to blame the fire department, as the dense accumulation of plastic and other flammable materials obstructs fire brigades from accessing these crowded areas. She urged traders to stop storing plastic and other inflammable articles.
"The business community, as the largest stakeholder, must play a key role in making the central business district and other city areas fire-safe. While the fire department will always be there to help, traders must comply with fire safety standards," said Bose at the session organised by the Confederation of West Bengal Trade Associations (CWBTA).
Sushil Poddar, president of CWBTA, assured that the business community would take all necessary steps to ensure fire safety compliance. Poddar said, "The places where we conduct our business are vital to our livelihoods, so we must prioritise safeguarding our workplaces and surroundings."
Bose also highlighted the importance of implementing fire safety measures in schools and colleges. "We want educational institutions in the city to adopt fire safety measures, as they house thousands of students and staff," he said, referring to a recent fire in coaching centres at Surat and Delhi's Mukherjee Nagar, where students were forced to jump to escape.