03 January,2018 12:36 PM IST | Mumbai | Chetna Sadadekar
In a first, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will depend on people's accounts, for the Kamala Mills fire inquiry report
The BMC wants details of the incident, photos and videos mailed to mc.enquiry.kamala@gmail.com
In a first, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will depend on people's accounts, for the Kamala Mills fire inquiry report. The BMC has initiated an inquiry into the fire and has appealed to citizens to come forward and help them bring out a factual report.
It has put out a public notice - an appeal to citizens who have witnessed the grave incident, or those related to the deceased or injured people in it, or people working in the area - to narrate their version of the night.
Public help
With many media reports on the incident and several versions of it out, civic officers said it is important that all the evidence is directly recorded. This is scheduled to be done by Ajoy Mehta, BMC commissioner, on January 8. According to the public notice, people's accounts will help the civic body in the inquiry proceedings.
Those who have photographs and videos of the incident have also been requested to share them, so they can be used as evidence. It was following the death of 14 people in the fire that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had asked Mehta to carry out an inquiry. The fire has also brought forward the irregularities in several restaurants and pubs, a fact grossly neglected by the civic officials.
The public notice has mentioned an email address - mc.enquiry.kamala@gmail.com - where details of the incident, photos and videos can be mailed. There is still a lot of ambiguity over the exact location of the origin of the fire, as many have claimed it started from the restaurant next to 1 Above, while others say it started in 1 Above as it was completely engulfed. The conclusion will be determined after the evidence and witness accounts are ascertained, said civic officials.
Deputy Municipal Commissioner Ramesh Pawar, said, "We want to ensure a thorough and fair report, and the civic chief will hear all the accounts, as he is conducting the inquiry that was ordered by the CM."
BMC speaks
Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta said, "The purpose of the appeal is to take into account all the possibilities in the incident. We have asked citizens to come forward and give whatever information they have regarding the fire. Also, they can send their suggestions to improve the situation to avoid such incidents."
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