Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday announced an inquiry, headed by a retired judge of the Bombay High Court into the recent Kamala Mills compound fire and the alleged misuse of 95,000 sq meters of FSI given for IT projects at the blaze-hit compound at lower Parel in south-central Mumbai.

Making an announcement to this effect while replying to a calling attention motion moved by BJP MlA Atul Bhatkalkar in the State Assembly, Fadnavis laid the blame for the December 29 Kamala Mill compound fire at the previous DF Government’s door. It may be recalled that 14 persons were killed and 55 others were injured in the massive fire that ripped Mojo's Bistro lounge, neighbouring 1Above casual dining restaurant and london Taxi Gastro pub at Trade House, on December 29.

The Chief Minister said as per the mill land redevelopment policy in 1999, the then Government had decided to allot one-third of the mill land each to Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and mill owners.

“But, in 2001 the then DF Government decision was changed to one-third of the vacant land. By doing this, the previous Government gave away the entire mill land to the mill owners and developers, and ensured that the mill workers do not get their rightful homes," the Chief Minister said.

Fadnavis charged that Kamala Mills fire was due to the “sin” committed by the previous Government. “Instead of 50,000 sq metres, the development was done in 51,000 sq meters in the Kamala Mills Compound. Nearly 95,000 sq meters of the floor space index (FSI) was given for IT (information technology)-related establishments. We will probe whether the FSI given for IT misused at the Kamala Mills and whether the mill land redevelopment happened elsewhere," the chief minister said.

According to Fadnavis, the inquiry will be conducted by a committee headed by a retired high court judge – as approved by the high court, a retired official of the urban development department and an approved architect/urban planner.“If there are violations, we will impose penalty on the violators,” he said

The chief minister also charged that owing to the irregularities allegedly indulged by the previous Congress-NCP government, the mill workers were not able to get houses. “We have undertaken audit and fire compliance of all structures in Kamala Mills compound. Our government has changed the DF government’s decision of 2001. We now intend to give houses to mill workers from the one-third (mill) land reserved for MHADA," he said.