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Kolkata shuts 13 hotels, issues notices to 50 over fire safety violations
Officials aware of the developments said that the six bodies of Bangladeshis, killed in the central Kolkata hotel-fire, were likely to be taken to Banglades
The West Bengal government on Friday shut down 13 hotels in central Kolkata, asked 16 hotels to vacate, and issued show-cause notices to another 50 hotels across the city and 29 in various districts across the state for allegedly failing to meet fire safety norms, officials said.
“At least 16 hotels in central Kolkata have been asked to shut down for violating fire safety norms. More than 50 hotels across Kolkata have been served show-cause notices since Thursday,” said a senior officer of the state fire department.
The hotels that have been shut down or issued show-cause notices are located on Mirza Ghalib Street, Marquis Street and SN Banerjee Road in central Kolkata.
This comes three days after an early morning blaze in central Kolkata’s Shikha Inn Hotel killed nine people on Wednesday. Police have arrested the lease holder of the hotel, while the owner is absconding. At least 80 people were rescued. Officials aware of the matter said that six bodies of the Bangladeshis killed in the fire were taken to Bangladesh, while one was cremated in Kolkata on Friday.
This was the second such incident in the state in the same week. A fire in a hotel at Tarapith, a temple town in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, killed nine people, including two children, on Monday. The authorities have already closed down 15 hotels in Tarapith.
“Actions have been initiated. A few officers have also been issued show-cause notices,” said Kaushik Chowdhury, state fire minister.
“Inspection is going on. This will continue. We will not stop after closing down 100 hotels. We will not allow such tinderboxes to operate. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) must take responsibility of these. The rooms were cramped. They were using more electricity than permitted due to air-conditioners. How did they get a trade license and fire license? If they don’t follow rules, they will be shut down,” said Agnimitra Paul, state urban development minister.
Fire brigade officials said that at least 29 hotels in various districts have been issued notices to show cause why they shouldn’t be closed down for failing to comply with fire safety norms.
“Some of the hotels were running without any fire license. The licenses had expired four to five years ago and weren’t renewed. There were no proper exits, locked emergency gates, hotels were drawing more electricity than applied for, rooms without ventilation, changed floor plans and several other violations,” said a senior official.
Officials aware of the developments said that the six bodies of Bangladeshis, killed in the central Kolkata hotel-fire, were likely to be taken to Bangladesh by road on Saturday. Five bodies will enter Bangladesh through the Benapole border, and one will enter through the Bhomra border. Rebati Sarker, one of the deceased, who had come to Kolkata with her son, was cremated in Kolkata on Friday night, her husband confirmed from Satkhira, Bangladesh.
