Much to everyone’s surprise, this very Delhi Fire Service has had put the process of cancellation of the fire safety clearance of the building that housed a coaching centre in Rajinder Nagar in motion, barely 48 hours after an incident of fire that resulted in the death of three aspirants for the IAS.
The accident that happened because of the maximum water logging in the basement of one of the coaching centres has led to a massive drive against the educational centres in the area for running the institutions against norms.
During the fire safety inspection, it was also found that the coaching centre named Rau’s IAS Study Circle had furnished them with fake information. Specifically, the official record stated that the basement was being used for storage, while the truth was that it was being used as a library, as reported by Atul Garg, the Director of the Delhi Fire Service.
The book and tables were stored in the basement at the time of the raid. The coaching centre furnished the wrong information. Garg said We have also communicated this to the MCD so that it can withdraw its NOC for the building.
This revelation has emerged in the backdrop of a crackdown on coaching centres in the particular area, and at least 13 institutes have closed following the tragic incident. Civic authorities have also started bulldozer action around these institutes, where encroachment has blocked drains, adding to the problem of water logging.
The incident has provoked outrage; the BJP and demonstrators singled out the AAP, the ruling party of the Delhi government and the MCD. Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi has demanded an enquiry into the incident to find out whether any of the MCD officials had a hand in the negligence concerning the tragedy.
Seven people, including those in charge of this coaching centre and the owner of the building, have been detained for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and causing death by negligence.
For this reason, some feel that the departments of safety and building bylaws need to strengthen their implementation of those laws, especially in education institutions, to ensure that such incidences do not occur again.
