Neighbours’ plight: New Alipore slum fire singes white goods
Times of India | 22 December 2024
123 Kolkata: The Saturday night fire at the New Alipore slum singed white goods in multiple flats adjacent to the slum and forced residents of the buildings to spend a sleepless night outside their homes. They pleaded with civic and police authorities to keep the illegal settlers away from their homes to avoid further trouble.
"On Saturday evening, I feared my entire home would be burnt as leaping flames from the slum engulfed our balcony and singed a washing machine and other items kept there. By God's grace, the damage was limited to the balcony, and my home was saved. But the question is, why should we suffer because of illegalities outside our homes? We pay legitimate taxes. But these illegal settlers have not only encroached on the open space next to our homes but are now even posing a danger to our lives," said Mousumi Biswas, who lives on the first floor of an F block building next to the slum under Durgapur Bridge in New Alipore.
On Sunday, TOI found windows of Biswas's home shattered, multiple white goods singed, the balcony crumbling, and home plants burnt. "There is no power at our home since Saturday evening, and we have no clue when it will be restored. I complained a number of times about the problems these illegal squatters pose, but there has been no response from the civic body," said Biswas's niece, Debjani.
At the next building, schoolteacher Kashinath Das said he spent the evening watering the wall facing the inferno after sending his family downstairs and removed the furniture outside their home. "My home wall started developing cracks from outside. So, I began watering the flat from inside to minimise damages. But I couldn't protect the glass windows, many of which shattered on impact. The electrical wiring too has been affected, and even before the power was sanpped, my home appliances stopped functioning. I know the squatters who lost their homes will be compensated, but what about us?" asked Das.
Living on the floor above Das was businessman Hiralal Joshi, whose AC outdoor unit was singed, and the sewage water pipelines melted in the fire. "I wasn't at home when the fire broke out, but since I live on the third floor, the damage was limited to the outdoor units," said Joshi.
Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.