“Mayor has ordered to bulldoze coaching centres encroaching on drains,” Delhi Minister Atishi on coaching centre incident

New Delhi [India], July 31 ( ANI): Following the deaths of three students at a coaching institute in Old Rajinder Nagar due to severe waterlogging, Delhi Minister Atishi said on Wednesday that the interim inquiry report by the MCD has come.

She added that the inquiry report highlighted that the drain present in the area was the main reason for the waterlogging and that the library set up in the coaching centre was illegal.

“An interim inquiry report has been received by MCD, and a preliminary report has been submitted. Two key things that came to light regarding the coaching centre incident, were that the drain, which is the reason for the waterlogging in that area, was encroached upon by all the coaching centres there, because of which water was not going down the drain. The other thing is, the way coaching centres were running classes in the basement and libraries were set up, was 100 per cent illegal. The permission given to the coaching centre by the building department was to use the basement only as a storage or parking space. The rest of the inquiry report will come in seven days,” she said.

She added, “MCD had started the inquiry based on the preliminary inquiry report. The Junior engineer who was responsible for the drain there and ensuring there was no encroachment has been permanently terminated. The Assistant Engineer, whose responsibility was to check if the drains were functioning, has also been suspended. It was his responsibility to check if the rules and regulations were being followed. He has been suspended. The investigation will be carried out on both the officers.”

Further, she said that after the magisterial report would come, strict action would be taken.

“The Magisterial report will come in 6 days and for those who are found responsible, action would be taken against them. As soon as we received the information that the drain encroachment was taking place and waterlogging was caused, Mayor Shailey Oberoi sent instructions to bulldoze all coaching centres that were encroached on the drains,” she said.

Atishi also added that 30 coaching centres in areas like Rajendra Nagar, Preet Vihar, Laxmi Nagar, and Mukherjee Nagar have been sealed for setting up libraries in the basements. Drishti IAS Centre and Sanskruti Academy are among these 30 centres. Meanwhile, 200 other institutes were also sent a notice.

“Coaching centres in areas like Rajendra Nagar, Preet Vihar, Mukherjee Nagar, and Preet Vihar have been seized for setting up libraries in the basements, which include the Drishti IAS Centre and Sanksruti Academy, among the 30 institutes. 200 other institutes have been sent a notice,” Atishi said.

Meanwhile, Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi stated on Wednesday that all demands of the students will be heard and a meeting will soon be held with them.

Conveying her condolences to the families of the deceased, she said, “In the incident that happened in the coaching centre’s basement, we found that there was only one entry and exit route. We convey our condolences to the families of these students. We will listen to the demands of the students, hold a meeting with them soon, and after that, pass that regulation in the Delhi Assembly.”

Further, she added that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi will have to abide by all the new rules and regulations that will be passed and strict actions will be taken against all those who will be found guilty.

“MCD will also have to follow all the rules and regulations. I want to inform the public that we will be conducting our basement drive and strict action will be taken against all those who are guilty. No irresponsibility will be tolerated in the coming future,” she said.