Shockwaves from the ‘Wow! Momos’ inferno in Kolkata continue to reverberate, prompting the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to intervene decisively. The agency has summoned the Kolkata District Magistrate for a report within 72 hours on the January 26 fire that killed over 20 laborers and left a trail of unanswered questions.
The facility in Anandpur doubled as a warehouse and production unit, where workers were reportedly asleep during the sudden outbreak. Accusations of gross negligence by management dominate, with regulatory bodies like fire services, labor ministry, and municipal authorities under fire for their complicity through inaction.
Invoking Section 12 of the Human Rights Protection Act, the NHRC deems this a clear assault on human dignity and life rights. Cited breaches include the Factories Act, 2020 safety codes, disaster protocols, and Article 21 safeguards. Demands include a neutral probe, prosecutions, victim compensations, rehabilitation packages, and mandatory audits for all high-risk sites in West Bengal.
NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo’s bench has set a tight deadline, emphasizing email delivery of the report. This high-profile directive arrives amid national outrage over recurring workplace fatalities in the fast-food industry’s underbelly. Strengthening compliance and oversight now seems imperative to avert future calamities, as the commission prepares to escalate based on incoming findings.