Kolkata: A three-member delegation from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) visited the Anandapur warehouse fire incident site on Tuesday, to take stock of the situation. The area was also visited by former MP Adhir Chowdhury.
According to the police, the delegation arrived in West Bengal on Monday afternoon. In the evening, they held a meeting with the District Magistrate of South 24 Parganas. On Tuesday, they went to the incident site in Anandapur. There, they examined all aspects of the situation and gathered evidence.
It is reported that they may subsequently hold a meeting with the Superintendent of Police of the Baruipur Police District.
Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and former MP Adhir Chowdhury also visited the site on Tuesday. He directly blamed the state government for its patronage for the horrific incident that resulted in the deaths of 27 people.
However, the police did not allow him to visit the actual fire site. Speaking to media persons outside the Anandapur warehouse, Chowdhury said, “Such a major incident happened in the heart of Kolkata. It is impossible for a factory to be built illegally on a wetland without the full support of the ruling party.”
He questioned why the factory lacked fire safety measures and why the administration was still clueless about who owns the factory or how many workers were employed there. He alleged that such a death trap was created by flouting the rules with the connivance of Trinamool Congress leaders.
Criticising Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for not visiting the fire site, Chowdhury said, “So many people died just a few kilometres from the city centre, yet the Chief Minister didn’t feel the need to come here even once. She has established herself today as a heartless, conscienceless and cruel ruler. She should have come here wearing a black armband, but instead, she’s performing a ‘circus’ in Delhi.”
The fire broke out at the Pushpanjali decorator’s warehouse and Wow Momo factory in the wee hours of January 26.
For 32 hours, despite working with wartime urgency, the fire service could not easily bring the fire under control. Twelve fire engines were continuously deployed. Workers were trapped inside the warehouses and burned to death.
The Narendrapur police arrested the manager and deputy manager of the momo manufacturing company.
Earlier, the owner of the Pushpanjali decorator’s warehouse Gangadhar Das was arrested.
(IANS)
