Coaching students died due to Delhi govt's 'carelessness': Khattar

Union Minister Khattar said that a similar incident happened in Mukherjee Nagar and the court had instructed the MCD to conduct a survey of institutes and make required provisions

Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday said the Delhi government's "carelessness" is responsible for the death of three students at a coaching institute in the national capital.

Three civil services aspirants died after the basement of a building housing Rau's IAS Study Circle coaching institute was flooded following rain in central Delhi's Old Rajinder Nagar area on Saturday evening.

I understand the agencies responsible for this carelessness is either the MCD or the Delhi government, the minister said.

The minister was replying to a short discussion on the incident.

He said that a similar incident happened in Mukherjee Nagar and the court had instructed the MCD to conduct a survey of institutes and make required provisions.

 

Khattar said that 1,120 coaching institutes were issued notices in 2023 but no action was taken after the notices were issued. He said that timely action could have prevented such incidents.

The minister further said that a fire NOC (no objection certificate) was issued to the coaching centres in July after which some complaints were made in this regard, but no inspection was carried out.

There should be a system to carry out inspections. If the government is unable to do so, then a third party assessment mechanism should be made for time-to-time inspection and prevent such mishaps, the minister said.

He said that the names of all the entities found responsible for the tragic incident in Old Rajinder Nagar should be added in the FIR.

The minister said that the Delhi government should have initiated clearing of drains before the start of the rainy season.

Building plan permission is issued by the MCD. Fire NOC is given by the fire department which is part of Delhi government...names of all related departments should be added in the FIR that has been filed, Khattar said.