PANAJI: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday said four people have been arrested in connection with the massive fire at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora, which killed 25 people. He said a detailed inquiry has begun and will be completed within a week.
The nightclub, located around 25 km from Panaji, was the site of one of the state’s worst fire tragedies. Sawant said the government has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident. “The probe will be led by the North Goa Collector, with support from a committee comprising the SP South Goa, the Deputy Collector for Fire and Emergency Services, and the Director of Forensics. The panel has been instructed to submit its report within seven days,” he said.
Authorities revealed that during a recent inspection, several violations of the CRZ Notification 2011 were found at the nightclub. These included an RCC G+1 hexagonal structure of around 550 sq m built directly in a water body, with the ground floor reportedly being used as a kitchen and storeroom.
Sawant said an arrest warrant has been issued against the club owners and that a police team has left for Delhi to arrest them. He also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured through the State Disaster Response Fund.
The Chief Minister said the DGP has been instructed to take strict action against those responsible, including the owners, managers and officials who issued permissions. He added that the government will conduct an audit of all clubs and establishments operating without valid permissions, especially those that attract large crowds.
“This would be done through a committee, which shall be constituted under the chairmanship of the Secretary (Revenue). A standard operating procedure (SOP) shall be framed by this committee for all such establishments to ensure that such an incident is not repeated in the future,” he said.
Sawant said the State Disaster Management Authority will also issue an advisory to clubs, restaurants and other commercial establishments to ensure compliance with safety norms and permissions. He added that he has directed the chief secretary and DGP to take disciplinary action against erring officers. “This is a major incident in the tourism sector. I will monitor at my personal level and ensure that the culprits are arrested,” he said.