Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Unsafe practices

Sir, — I refer to the fire in the Srirangam marriage hall that claimed 56 lives. While the cause for the fire is stated to be an electrical short circuiting, the hastily erected thatched pandal in the terrace, the narrow, winding staircase and the scaffolding of the building under construction near by compounded the situation. Many old residential buildings are being converted into marriage halls to fetch more rent. The capacity of the building, its strength, infrastructure, and its suitability for public use are overlooked. And given the demand for marriage halls, people settle for any venue. The Government and local bodies should take steps to make the buildings safe, and to curb the greed of those who capitalise on people's helplessness.

A.J. Rangarajan,
Chennai

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