March 9, 2013
Chief Minister for task-force in markets, says flouting fire laws a punishable offence
West Bengal Chief Minister Ms. Mamata Banerjee on Saturday felicitated the fire-department officials at Town Hall for their commendable work for dousing and carrying out rescue operations.
The Chief Minister on this occasion said that her prime concern remains the safety of the people and she requested the shop keepers in these markets to form groups, `I thank you all for putting up a brave work on that fateful day. I am not in favour of closing markets since that would affect many in other ways. I would request the businessmen to constitute a task force among themselves and take initiative to monitor the security and safety of your respective markets. Accidents may occur anytime but you have to take adequate precautions and be prepared`, said the Chief Minister.
The Chief Minister said, `Today, there is a need to be more careful since the city is getting congested and naturally the hazards are increasing. Earlier there used to small houses but today they are being replaced by high-rises buildings. I often get scared to see the new constructions especially in Rajarhat which have match-stick like pillars. I get scared to think what will happen if any natural calamity takes place. Still people are staying in these houses but I want to ask those who are building these houses if they at all are concerned of security and safety of the people residing in their buildings`, said an aggrieved Chief Minister.
The Chief Minister on this occasion asked the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), Kolkata Police, hospitals, disaster management teams, fire brigade to maintain a vigil. She also suggested that there should be a monitoring team which will see that fire laws and rules are not flouted while constructing new buildings. `I want to make it very clear that enough is enough and now we need to have stringent laws in this regard. I want a special team to monitor and if anything goes wrong then they will be hold accountable. I want to tell them clearly that under no circumstances they will allow illegal projects not even if someone comes to them taking my name. Please be strict and abide the legal provisions`, said the Chief Minister.
She instructed concerned authorities to form a team of experts and decide on how to replace the hanging wires all around which can result into a serious disaster at any moment, `I want these wires to be put in a pipe or get them concealed in whatever best ways possible, I want a team of experts to take the decision and do it soon. These can result into serious disaster`, Chief Minister said who also gave away the compensations to the affected shopkeepers.
The Chief Minister said that the shopkeepers must act now and for this the State Government will allow a fortnight during which they will have to prepare a plan for preventing their markets from such disasters. They will have to follow the safety and security laws. `I reiterate that you have fortnight time to complete all the process`, added the Chief Minister.
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