Three Durga Puja committees issued fire safety notices days after 19 die in Kolkata stampede

The West Bengal Fire and Emergency Services Department has issued notices to three prominent Durga Puja committees in south Kolkata over alleged deficiencies in fire safety arrangements following a stampede at a north Kolkata pandal that claimed 19 lives officials said on Monday reported the PTIThe notices were issued to Chetla Agrani Ballygunge Cultural Association and Tridhara Sammilani after a highlevel fire services team inspected major pandals and identified shortcomings in safety arrangements the news agency reportedThe inspections came after the stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal on Saturday which killed 19 people and left several others injuredOn Sunday fire services authorities directed organisers to immediately remove unauthorised temporary commercial structures and hazardous stalls set up near pandalsOfficials cited serious fire safety concerns particularly the presence of LPG cylinders near structures made of highly inflammable materialsDuring inspections the team also stressed the need for adequate lighting and ventilation inside pandals to eliminate dark spots improve visibility and facilitate crowd management Organisers were also advised to install sufficient fans and airconditioning units to improve ventilation and prevent overcrowding and suffocating conditions as per the PTITridhara Sammilani says safety measures are in placeDebashis Kumar a senior functionary of Tridhara Sammilani told PTI that the committee had obtained a noobjection certificate NOC from the department before inaugurating its pandalldquoWe got the NOC from the department before going ahead with the inaugurationrdquo he saidKumar maintained that no highly inflammable materials had been used and that adequate lighting had been provided at the entrance and along the pathway He added that the committee had submitted a compliance report to the authoritiesHe also said the movement and management of thousands of visitors were being coordinated with the Kolkata Police civil defence authorities and the civic bodyBallygunge Cultural Association asked to improve lightingBallygunge Cultural Association was asked to improve lighting inside its pandal and ensure commercial activities did not obstruct entry and exit routes an official saidA senior functionary of the committee said the organisers were following standard safety procedures and facilitating the movement of visitorsThe functionary added that lighting had been improved and arrangements made to ensure that visitors approaching the pandal from the Rasbehari Avenue and Triangular Park side were not obstructedNo official from Chetla Agrani could be contacted for commentInspections intensified after Chorbagan stampedeThe inspections followed Saturdays stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata where 19 people were killed and several others injuredThe incident prompted the West Bengal government to intensify scrutiny of crowd management and safety arrangements at major Durga Puja venuesThe latest notices focus on fire prevention ventilation lighting and unobstructed access routes as authorities seek to address safety concerns at crowded festival venueswith PTI inputs