Two major incidents in a week in West Bengal – an explosion at an illegal firecracker unit and second, a fire at a house claimed to have a stock of fireworks – have jolted the state’s politics, providing the Opposition with an opportunity to blame the ruling Trinamool Congress.
Following an explosion at an illegal firecracker unit in Purba Medinipur district’s Egra on May 16, a fire at a house claimed to have firecrackers stocked illegally in the South 24 Parganas district’s Budge Budge area on Sunday evening claimed three lives. The police have recovered large quantities of firework material from the region concerned.
Meanwhile, the West Bengal government on Monday said that it’s mulling the idea of putting such units into clusters. Kolkata mayor, and minister for urban development, said that explosions and fire had been heard of for years. Such incidents claim lives. People go to such units as they find work close to their homes.
“In the cabinet (meeting), there was a proposal today. A committee, with the Chief Secretary, finance, MSME, fire, home, environment, rural, urban – departments, will together prepare a report in two months on whether cluster(s) can be made of firecracker units,” Hakim said.
The Opposition has held the ruling Trinamool responsible for the situation. BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, in a tweet, brought up the Russia-Ukraine issue to draw a comparison. “I think if one calculates and compares the number of explosions that have taken place on Ukrainian soil until now, the number would be fewer than the explosions that took place in West Bengal during this timeframe,” Adhikari stated, adding, “I might be sounding repetitive, but this too is a fit case for NIA investigation.”