Don't vote for me, but do not play with your life: Mamata Banerjee on Kolkata hotel fire

Kolkata, May 1 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday visited the fire-ravaged Rituraj hotel at Madan Mohan Burman Street in central Kolkata where a devastating fire broke out on Tuesday night killing 15 people and appealed to the people residing in the busy trading hub not to play with their lives.

CM Banerjee told the people to take care even if they chose not to vote for her party.

The statement is significant as a non-Bengali and mainly Hindi-speaking population dominates the trading hub, where the hotel was located and there is a general perception that these voters traditionally are against the Trinamool Congress.

“I am not against anybody. But some people do not listen to anything, and they do not care for safety norms. This is not acceptable. I want all of you to be safe. If you choose not to vote for me for saying this, you can do that. But save your own lives,” CM Banerjee said.

The Chief Minister also promised strong action by her administration against those responsible for the tragedy.

Investigations into the matter have revealed that the fire resulted because of gross negligence in following fire safety, ventilation, and evacuation norms at the Rituraj hotel.

She also said that the administrative officials who deliberately ignored the lapses at the hotel against some considerations, would also not be spared.

When CM Banerjee visited the spot, she was accompanied by the state fire services minister Sujit Bose and the Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma.

During the visit she also directed Bose to check other buildings and establishments which were similarly violating fire safety norms.

She expressed her anger over the lack of safety norms in the hotel which included inadequate emergency evacuation arrangements.

“A person running a hotel business and not arranging emergency evacuation arrangements should not be pardoned. On occasions like this I am extremely tough,” CM Banerjee said.

She also announced that her government has formed a special committee to investigate the fire mishap.

“I have directed the police and the state fire services department to conduct surprise checks at such establishments against whom there are complaints of violating safety norms. If any elected public representative or anyone within the administration are part of the nexus, they will also not be spared,” the Chief Minister said.

--IANS

src/rad