Kamala Mills Fire: Despite Illegal Constructions, 1 Above Got NOC

Investigations reveal that the 1 Above pub had received NOC from the fire department, five days before the tragedy.

In the wake of the tragic fire at Kamala Mills on 29 December that took the lives of 14 people and injured several others, a series of investigations have been launched, with the BMC hosting an aggressive demolition campaign against buildings guilty of sporting illegal structures.

As per the latest developments, the investigations have shockingly revealed that the fire department had issued a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to 1 Above, the pub where the fire started, just five days before the incident, even though it had flouted many safety norms and undergone several illegal constructions, reports Mumbai Mirror.

According to the report, RB Patil, the Fire Station Officer, had inspected the pub in early-December, while the NOC was cleared by SS Shinde, Assistant Divisional Fire Officer. The clearance was granted, despite the fact that the BMC’s G-South ward had earlier issued notices to the restaurant for illegal constructions as well as serving hookah, which was against the terms of their contract.

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The fire brigade should not have given an NOC to 1 Above when the ward office had issued notices to it for illegal constructions under the MRTP and MMC Acts. When the inspection was carried out, the illegal structures were still there. 

An official associated with the investigations told Mumbai Mirror

“This is nothing but connivance on the part of fire officials. We are examining the role of all those involved,” he added.

The NOC was allegedly signed by Shinde on 23 December. The Fire NOC, says Mumbai Mirror, reportedly read:

“In view of the above, as far as this department is concerned, there is no objection to allowing the party to use the open-to-sky terrace on the third floor lower level of the existing high-rise commercial building for serving food, subject to satisfactory compliance of the following fire safety norms.”

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While Shinde is one of the officials suspended by BMC Commissioner Ajoy Mehta following the incident, RB Patil, who inspected the pub, still holds his position, the report adds.

This news comes days after both the MNC and Congress MLA blamed the BMC of “corruption”, with the former stating that Mehta had only suspended “selected officials” and that the main culprits behind the fire had been allowed to walk free.

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At the same time, Ramesh Gowani, the owner of Kamala Mills, allegedly told the police that the toilet of 1 Above, where the victims of the fire had taken refuge, was illegal and was built by the pub-owners, without informing him, reports Indian Express.

The toilet turned out to be a death-trap for the victims who took refuge inside, the report adds.

I told them they should follow all the norms and get permission from the fire department and BMC. It was after they agreed to it that we went ahead with the agreement and rented it out to them. I have done no wrong.

An officer quoting Ramesh Gowani’s statement, told Indian Express

In the meanwhile, the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC) has asked the BMC to submit a report on the Kamala Mills Fire on or before 29 January, reports PTI.

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(With inputs from PTI, Mumbai Mirror and Indian Express)