Kamala Mills Fire: Congress, MNS Accuse BMC of Corrupt Inquiry

The Congress and the MNS have demanded an independent probe into the Kamala Mills Fire.

In light of the fire at Kamala Mills that took the lives of 14 people and left several others injured on 28 December, the BMC Commissioner Ajoy Mehta visited the site on Tuesday to “take stock” of the activities undertaken by the civic body in disaster management, reported PTI.

Mehta’s supervision of the site where the fire broke out on 28 December comes a few days after the BMC launched an aggressive campaign to survey and demolish restaurants and pubs across the city which have made illegal alterations.

However, several political parties are visibly still disconcerted with the BMC’s efforts and are holding them responsible for the incident in question and several others they believe were caused due to the BMC’s mismanagement.

MNS Demands Independent Probe

According to Hindustan Times, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has accused the BMC of suspending only a few ‘select officials’ while those primarily responsible for the incident were allowed to walk free. Following the fire, Mehta had ordered the suspension of five officials and transferred an assistant municipal commissioner pending inquiry.

The MNS has reportedly demanded the resignation of Mehta from the position of BMC Commissioner and have also raised doubts regarding the authenticity of the inquiry that was to be carried out by the same, reports Hindustan Times.

An independent inquiry by a higher official should be conducted in this incident.

Sandeep Deshpande, MNS leader as reported by Hindustan Times

Mehta, however, had earlier stated that no officer had been granted a ‘clean chit’ and that everyone was required to wait for the results of the inquiry report into the incident, reports Hindustan Times.

Congress MLA Nitish Rane to Hold Protest Against BMC

Nitesh Rane, a Congress MLA, has pledged to hold a protest on 15 January at Azad Maidan, against the “corruption” in the BMC for granting licenses to hotels in the city, reports PTI.

Rane reportedly called for a CBI probe into the fire at Kamala Mills as well.

He further alleged that a 15-day period which has been granted by the BMC to restaurants to comply with safety norms after 31 December, works as a "hint" to other erring establishments to come up with a kind of “settlement” with the civic body, the PTI report adds.

After 31 December, some other restaurants were given time for 15 days. This fortnight-long period is a hint for other erring restaurants for settlement with concerned authorities.

Nitish Rane, as reported by PTI

(With inputs from PTI and Hindustan Times)