Bhubaneswar, Jan. 20 -- After a massive fire gutted more than 40 shops at Unit-I Haat in Odisha's Bhubaneswar, Mayor Sulochana Das on Tuesday held shopkeepers responsible for the incident, citing repeated violations of safety norms and municipal regulations. The fire had prompted affected traders to demand compensation from the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), with several shopkeepers making emotional appeals for financial assistance.

However, the Mayor said the civic body had issued multiple warnings to the vendors well in advance, which were repeatedly ignored. She maintained that the BMC had made sustained efforts to address safety concerns at the market, but compliance remained poor.

Addressing the media, Mayor Das said Unit...