It?s the last shutter for safety. Or complete shutdown.

Peeved at the attitude of a few market-owners in the city towards fire safety norms, fire minister Pratim Chatterjee has taken it upon himself to set things right.

After waiting for months for compliance reports from the authorities of the markets, Chatterjee has decided to slap them with closure notices. The markets, however, have been given a grace period of a few weeks.

While several markets are under the scanner, the minister is particularly concerned about two mega shopping marts in south Calcutta ? Vardaan, on Camac Street, and Air-conditioned Market, on Shakespeare Sarani.

New Market, on Lindsay Street, and Raja Katra, in Burrabazar, are also on Chatterjee?s hit list.

The message behind the closure notices is clear ? the safety of the shoppers cannot be trifled with.

?How long are we supposed to wait? The market-owners had used Durga puja as an excuse to delay matters. Then it was Diwali, and now it?s Christmas. This cannot continue,? thundered Chatterjee.

?We have decided that unless the compliance reports are sent within the next few weeks, there will be no alternative to ordering the closure of the markets,? he said.

The minister added that he would soon pay a surprise visit to one of the markets.

Fire department officials claimed that the markets had been asked to submit reports on steps taken to fight fires almost six months ago.

This was after the officers visited some of the sites and noticed that the fire-fighting measures were not in place.

?Inflammable articles were dumped indiscriminately at a few places. At others, we found wires dangling precariously atop lines that were loosely connected to the main power sources,? said a senior officer of the department.

The minister, too, is rattled at the way some of the markets have been wired electrically.

?Have you been to Raja Katra recently? A mesh of wires dangles from almost every corner of the market. Electrical fire-safety measures are totally absent at Raja Katra. There are no meters and it is even difficult to walk properly because of the wires. We would like to take up the issue with the power authorities as well,? minister Chatterjee added.

But would slapping a closure notice put things on the right track? The minister certainly believes it will.

He also pointed out that builder Pradeep Kundalia and a few others had recently been arrested for not adhering to fire-safety norms in highrises.

?We had also asked for the closure of an eatery near the AJC Bose Road and JL Nehru Road crossing, after it was found that the owners were violating fire norms. There was a legal fight, but finally, things went our way. It is now one of the safest places to eat in Calcutta,? Chatterjee said.

S.A. Safwi, director-general of fire services, said: ?It?s not that nothing is being done. A few of the markets have taken steps, but that?s not enough. It would not be proper for me to comment at this stage, since we are in the process of re-evaluation.?