TOWERING INFERNO: The 100-hour blaze rages at Nandaram Market. A Telegraph picture

The state government has constituted a five-member committee to investigate the cause of the Burrabazar fire of January 12 and ascertain if there was a delay in extinguishing it.

The committee will have to submit its findings to Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi and chief secretary Amit Kiran Deb within 30 days. The panel has also been asked to submit suggestions within 60 days on ways to prevent such fires.

The additional commissioner (I) of Calcutta police, director-general (building) of the Calcutta Municipal Corporation (CMC), director general of fire and emergency services, director of the state forensic science laboratory and the executive director of CESC are the members of the committee.

The municipal commissioner, city police commissioner and the director of fire and emergency services met at the CMC headquarters on Tuesday to decide which agency will ensure that markets, commercial complexes, malls, theatres and hotels adopt fire prevention measures.

If the CMC is to ensure the fire prevention measures are in place, then the fire brigade’s stipulations will have to be included in the building rules.

If fire brigade takes up the responsibility, new provisions will be incorporated in the licencing policy. It will be mandatory for a trader to produce a clearance certificate from the fire brigade at the time of trade licence renewal.

The police insisted on introduction of more stringent parking norms for commercial buildings and highrise residential buildings.

The police and the fire brigade had requested the CMC to provide copies of existing and proposed building rules.