Kolkata, Jun 19 (PTI) Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, on Thursday sought an increase in the number of fire service stations in the state to effectively tackle incidents of blaze.
He claimed that there are only 130 fire stations in the state, while at least 2,000 such facilities are needed.
Referring to the devastating fire at Khidirpur market in Kolkata on Monday, Adhikari demanded that a standard operating procedure (SOP) be prepared to deal with such incidents and take preventive measures.
State Urban Development Minister and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim, while replying to the calling attention motion by Adhikari in the House, said that a committee has already been formed by the Mamata Banerjee government.
Hakim is the chairman of the committee, while the police and fire department officials are also part of it.
Admitting that some incidents of major fire have occurred in the recent past, Hakim said an SOP will be made by the committee.
The minister said that people also need to be more conscious and take precautions to prevent such incidents.
In the recent north Kolkata hotel fire that claimed several lives, some construction was being made in the building without the Kolkata Municipal Corporation's permission, he said.
Adhikari maintained that over 150 people have died so far in incidents of fire during the 14-year rule of the Trinamool Congress.
Stating that there are only 130 fire stations in the state with around 350 fire engines, the BJP leader said that at least 2,000 such facilities are needed in the state.
He said that there are only 18 fire service stations in Kolkata, a metropolitan city and the capital of West Bengal.
Claiming that there have already been 12 major fire incidents in Kolkata in 2025, Adhikari wondered whether these are merely accidents or if there was any sabotage behind such incidents to facilitate new constructions.
The minister denied such a possibility, saying that there have not been any building-promoting activities at fire-ravaged sites.