Kamala Mill owner had taken approval for IT office

Mumbai: The owner of Kamala Mills, Ramesh Gowani, had allegedly sought a license and approval for an IT office, but later used the place for resto pubs, according to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)’s probe report on the fire that took place on December 29, killing 14 people. The report, which was submitted to the state government on Thursday, also stated that the eating house and toilets were sanctioned for the IT office staff.

The report states, “The owner/architect have taken approval from building proposal department for a kitchen and dining area for the staff of the IT offices and fraudulently used them for getting eating house license from the Medical Officer Health (MOH) G/south ward. It is amply clear from a look at this plan that the location of the kitchen and the dining area in the approved plan of the building proposal department and the location where the eating house license got issued are not the same. They have clearly misrepresented in this document and obtained the license by fraudulent means.” It is to be noted that the BMC had suspended Satish Badgire, MOH of the ward in connection with the Kamala Mills tragedy.

The civic body’s claims that the Kamala Mills owner entered into an agreement with M/s. Sigrid Ospitalita and Entertainment LLP & M/s. Tirupati Hospitality Pvt. Ltd to use the open area, despite knowing that the open area cannot be used for any such activity. In the probe report, civic chief Ajoy Mehta has called for criminal action against the owner of premises for supporting such illegalities.

But there were irregularities carried on by the civic body as well.

No site inspections were carried out by the staff of the BP department regarding the proposed alterations.

Mr Mehta writes in his report, “There are certain loose ends like not visiting the site in cases of proposal for additions and alterations given by this department.”