Follow fire safety norms or face action: Mamata's 'tough' warning to business community
Telegraph | 2 May 2025
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday sent the city’s business community a tough message: Follow fire safety norms or face government action.
Mamata, who was visiting Rituraj Hotel where a fire had killed 14 people on Tuesday night, said the owner and the manager had been arrested.
“It’s the hotel owners’ responsibility to ensure the safety of guests. But they (Rituraj Hotel) will not renew the licence; they will flout all rules,” a grim-faced chief minister said, addressing local traders who stood around her near the fire-ravaged hotel.
“They will only do business and make money. They do not care about human lives.”
Officials have said the hotel flouted multiple safety norms: it had fire sprinklers but no water, its emergency exit was blocked, and all its windows had been sealed.
The hotel’s fire licence had not been renewed after 2022, fire and emergency services officials said.
“The building will be sealed. Pipelines are there, but no water. There is only one staircase. Two people were trapped on the staircase and died. We were able to rescue more than 90 using ladders,” Mamata said.
“Many rooms were found locked and could not be opened. There was no facility to let the smoke out of the building…. When you are in the hotel business, looking after the guests’ well-being is your responsibility.”
The state government has arranged to fly the 12 identified dead to their hometowns, Mamata said. Two bodies remain to be identified.
Referring to congested areas lined with old buildings in Jorasanko and Burrabazar, where the flouting of fire safety norms is widespread, the chief minister warned people against storing plastics and other inflammable material.
“This building has pipelines but no water source. Sometimes we keep the fire system but not water. We dump plastics and chemicals in residential dwellings. Why do you do this? These are highly inflammable,” she said.
“I have seen some people start a fire in their business interest. Please do not play with fire. Only those who lose their near ones in a fire understand the pain. And this can happen to each of us if we don’t (take precautions)….”
Mamata recalled the 2008 blaze at the towering Nandaram Market that destroyed one of central Calcutta’s biggest business hubs, fuelled by rampant violations of fire safety norms. She said plastic was being dumped again at the Nandaram market.
“There should be an alternative (escape route) in an emergency. Those who don’t make arrangements for an alternative, should they be spared?” she said.
“I am extremely rough and tough on this matter. You have to listen to us. The administration will give you all the help. And if you don’t listen, we will take action.”
Hours after she spoke, six Park Street restaurants were shut down. They will be reopened only after the administration is convinced about their fire-preparedness.
Mamata appealed to shopping malls, shops and markets not to stock plastic.
“These only aggravate fires. There could be a short-circuit…. AC machines need to be checked; gas cylinders need to be checked,” she said.
“I’m not against anyone. I just want you to live safely. Even if you don’t vote for me for saying this, it is OK, but please save your life first. This is not to beg for your votes but to ensure your own safety….”
Mamata then struck a hopeful note.
“I’m hopeful that after this, the businessmen, the traders’ associations, the traders’ organisations, will do the needful,” she said.
Mamata added: “I don’t differentiate between people when it comes to life. All are equal before me.”
The chief minister ordered that a team be formed with the Calcutta mayor, municipal commissioner, police commissioner, divisional deputy commissioners, superintendents of police and district magistrates to survey for fire-safety violations and dangerously run-down buildings. It must submit a report in 15 days.
She said, without elaborating, that traders need not take the local councillors into confidence.
Parts of central Calcutta are congested with dilapidated buildings, many ofwhich the civic authorities have declared as “dangerous”while asking the occupants to vacate them.
Most such notices are ignored.
“Let the KMC (civic body), police and the fire department hold a meeting. Let these dilapidated buildings be repaired by their occupants,” Mamata said.
“Even in the case of disputed buildings, let there be repair work. I hope people will rise above all this (disputes) and ensure the safety of human lives.”
At these meetings, Mamata said, the authorities should be humane and ensure that those evicted get a temporary place to stay at. She cited how a large number of central Calcutta residents were temporarily relocated for the East West Metro project.
Later on Thursday, Calcutta police commissioner Manoj Verma and mayor Firhad Hakim held a meeting and decided to draw up a list ofall rooftop restaurants inthe city.