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Senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury slammed the West Bengal administration over the fire tragedy at Tarapith in Birbhum district, terming the incident a "consequence of unplanned construction" and alleging that the holy site has been transformed into a "concrete jungle."
Speaking to the media persons in Murshidabad, Chowdhury expressed grief over the loss of lives and stated that such a disaster was "bound to happen" due to the rampant encroachment and lack of safety planning in the area. "The incident that occurred at Tarapith, where a large building was engulfed in flames, resulted in fatalities. This was bound to happen; for years, Tarapith, revered as a holy site and sacred land, has been transformed into a concrete jungle. Rampant hotel construction has left no open space, and there is a complete lack of planning," the Congress leader said. He further alleged that corruption played a major role in the rapid expansion of hotels in the pilgrim town, claiming that building regulations were ignored in exchange for money. "Money was the only requirement to get these hotels built... Should a fire break out, fire tenders would find no access to reach the site; there would be no scope for rescue operations, and ordinary people would be left helpless, potentially losing their lives," he added. Demanding a high-level probe into the development permits issued in the region, Chowdhury said, "A thorough investigation into how the land in Tarapith was encroached upon is essential." Seven people died, and several others were injured, allegedly due to a short circuit, at a hotel in Tarapith in West Bengal's Birbhum district, officials said. Police reached the spot soon after the incident. The injured have been rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. Superintendent of Police Birbhum, Vidit Raj Bhundesh, said neither smoke nor flames were visible from the outside. "Neither smoke nor flames were visible from the outside. Police and fire brigade teams arrived at the scene; 22 people were rescued using ladders, and 11 others were sent to the hospital...7 people have lost their lives in this incident," he told reporters. Bhundesh added, "A Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team will arrive here. The hotel operators have been taken into custody after an FIR was registered; we are questioning them and are proceeding with further action and investigation." BJP MLA Dhruba Saha criticised the authorities over the incident and demanded an overhaul of the Tarapith Rampurhat Development Authority (TRDA). (ANI)
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