KOLKATA: The West Bengal Fire and Emergency Services Department has issued notices to three prominent Durga Puja committees in south Kolkata over alleged shortcomings in fire safety arrangements, following a stampede at the Chorbagan pandal that claimed 19 lives, officials said on Monday.
The notices were issued to Chetla Agrani, Ballygunge Cultural Association and Tridhara Sammilani after a high-level fire services team inspected major pandals and identified deficiencies in their safety arrangements, they said.
On Sunday, the fire services authorities directed the immediate removal of unauthorised temporary commercial structures and hazardous stalls set up near the pandals. They cited serious fire safety concerns, particularly the presence of LPG cylinders near structures made of highly inflammable materials.
During the inspections, officials also emphasised the need for adequate lighting and ventilation inside the pandals to eliminate dark spots, improve visibility and facilitate crowd management.
The authorities further called for the installation of sufficient fans and air-conditioning units to improve ventilation and prevent overcrowding and suffocating conditions.
Debashis Kumar, a senior functionary of Tridhara Sammilani, told PTI on Monday that the committee had obtained a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the department before proceeding with the inauguration.
“We got the NOC from the department before going ahead with the inauguration,” he said.
“No highly inflammable material was used, and there was proper lighting at the entrance and along the pathway. We told the team that all fire safety measures concerning crowd control were in place and submitted a compliance report,” Kumar added.
He said the movement and management of thousands of visitors were being coordinated with the Kolkata Police, civil defence authorities and the civic body.
Ballygunge Cultural Association was asked to improve lighting inside its pandal and ensure that commercial activities did not obstruct entry and exit routes, an official said.
A senior functionary of the puja committee said the organisers were implementing standard safety procedures and facilitating the smooth movement of visitors.
“We are implementing all standard procedures with regard to safety precautions and facilitating the smooth passage of thousands of visitors. We have improved lighting and ensured that the entry of revellers is not blocked or hindered on the way to the pandal, starting from the side of Rasbehari Avenue and Triangular Park,” the functionary said.
No official from Chetla Agrani could be contacted for comment.
The inspections followed a stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata on Saturday, in which 19 people were killed and several others injured. The incident prompted the state government to step up scrutiny of crowd management and safety arrangements at major Durga Puja venues.
(With inputs from PTI)