Kolkata, 19 August (H.S.): Questions have been raised over the trade licence, electricity connection and fire safety arrangements of a hotel on Mirza Ghalib Street under the New Market police station area after a devastating fire claimed nine lives. State Urban Development Minister Agnimitra Paul visited the site on Wednesday and questioned how the hotel was allowed to operate despite alleged violations of safety norms.

Paul targeted the previous Trinamool Congress government and former Kolkata mayor and minister Firhad Hakim, asking who had issued the trade licence and how the electricity supply company CESC had approved the connection.

After inspecting the site, Paul said several hotels were operating in the five-storey building. She pointed out that the rooms were small and the entry and exit passages were narrow. According to her, there were inadequate emergency evacuation arrangements and insufficient fire-fighting facilities.

Paul said a large number of hotels had allegedly come up illegally across the state over the past 15 years and claimed that proper inspections and fire safety audits had not been carried out during the previous government. She added that the present government had been in office for only 100 days and it was not possible to identify all such establishments across the state within such a short period.

“What did those who were there before me do? Who issued the trade licence? How did CESC give permission? One AC was permitted, but 10 ACs were being operated,” Paul said.

On the possibility of action against Firhad Hakim, the minister said a report would be submitted to the Chief Minister and indicated that an investigation would be conducted to fix responsibility.-------

Hakim: Checking licences is not the mayor's responsibility

Responding to Paul's allegations, Firhad Hakim said it was not the mayor's responsibility to check whether a hotel had a valid trade licence. He said the Fire and Emergency Services Department would be able to clarify whether the hotel had the required fire licence and whether a fire safety audit had been conducted.

Hakim maintained that it was not possible for a mayor to personally verify all such matters.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Fire and Emergency Services Kaushik Chowdhury alleged that the hotel, located close to the Fire Department headquarters, was operating without valid permission. He said the present government was having to bear the consequences of mistakes made by the previous government.

According to police sources, the process of forming a Special Investigation Team headed by the chief of the Kolkata Police's Detective Department has begun. Police are also expected to register a case taking suo motu cognisance of the incident, while the Fire and Emergency Services Department will file a separate complaint.

The fire has claimed nine lives. The citizenship of the deceased is also being verified. Bangladesh Deputy High Commissioner Mohammad Khaled visited the emergency department of Kolkata Medical College and Hospital and sought information from the police. Based on preliminary information, he said one of the deceased was believed to be from Jharkhand, while eight were suspected to be Bangladeshi nationals. However, official confirmation of their citizenship is still awaited.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh