Kolkata: A prod from chief minister Suvendu Adhikari prompted the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) to form a five-member committee to assess fire safety in residential and commercial buildings in the city. Two members will come from KMC’s buildings and trade licence departments, and three from fire services, CESC and Kolkata Police, KMC administrator Smita Pandey said. Police has also formed a five-member special investigation team (SIT) to inquire into the incident, said the CM.
Adhikari on Wednesday blamed the previous Trinamool Congress regime for allowing hotels and establishments to mushroom despite contravening building norms. “While we remain focused on the rescue and relief operations and conduct investigation regarding what went wrong, it is impossible to ignore the reality we are facing today. This tragedy is a grim reminder of the legacy of negligence left behind by the previous regime,” Adhikari posted on X.
Following the directive, fire department teams and police inspected hotels to check alarms and firefighting equipment. Sources said lapses were found in at least seven hotels.
A suo motu case has been registered at New Market Police Station for fire safety lapses, danger to life, culpable homicide not amounting to murder, rash or negligent acts endangering life, and negligent conduct involving fire or combustible materials. WBFS Act provisions invoked include 11C, 11H and 11J; the fire brigade’s complaint will be added, police said.
Agnimitra Paul visited Free School Street and inspected the building where the hotel caught fire. “I have talked to the CM about the incident. It has been decided that a special team will be formed to investigate the incident. How did this hotel get the necessary licence and approval? The process through which it was granted a trade licence must also be scrutinised.”
Pointing to former mayor Firhad Hakim, Paul said approvals by the KMC, electricity and fire departments must be examined, as must the hotel’s trade licence.
Minister Tapas Roy said no firefighting equipment was present. “This true everywhere in Kolkata. We will follow a zero-tolerance policy on this,” said Roy.