Kolkata, May 14: Under the newly elected Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in West Bengal, a bulldozer was deployed on Wednesday to demolish an illegal factory located within a residential building in the Tiljala area of Kolkata. This factory was the site of a tragic fire that resulted in the deaths of two individuals.
The fire broke out shortly after 1 PM on Tuesday. Within 30 hours of the incident, the demolition of the factory commenced. The newly formed BJP-led state government has received preliminary reports regarding the Tiljala fire incident.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari stated on Wednesday afternoon that the factory was operating illegally. He ordered the demolition of the unauthorized structure within a day, prompting immediate action.
To ensure safety during the demolition, police forces were deployed in the area. Central armed forces were also present at the site during the operation.
On Tuesday afternoon, a fire erupted in a leather factory situated on the second floor of a multi-story building on GJ Khan Road in Tiljala, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Tiljala police station. The fire spread rapidly, leading to the tragic loss of two lives. Three others are currently hospitalized with severe burn injuries. By Wednesday afternoon, barricades were set up around the affected area.
In response to the incident, the new state government formed an inquiry committee on Tuesday to investigate how the fire occurred.
Based on the committee’s report, Chief Minister Adhikari noted on Wednesday that there was no building plan for the Tiljala factory, and it was operating without legal authorization. Additionally, standard fire safety measures were absent.
The police have already arrested Zafar Nisar, the owner of the leather factory, in connection with the fire incident. Following the Tiljala tragedy, the Chief Minister ordered the disconnection of water lines to all illegal and hazardous factories in Kolkata.
On Wednesday afternoon, Bengal’s Minister for Urban Affairs, Agnimitra Paul, announced that notices are being sent to illegal buildings lacking fire licenses or No Objection Certificates (NOCs). Owners of these buildings will be given an opportunity to rectify the situation. Minister Paul further stated that if compliance is not achieved, actions will be taken as per the Chief Minister’s directives.
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Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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