Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Sunday closed a coaching institute in the Odisha capital for alleged violation of COVID-19 guidelines.
The Benchmark Classes located at Nageswar Tangi, which provides coaching classes for engineering and medical aspirants, was conducting a felicitation programme for its students who had successfully cleared the NEET exams, results for which were declared on Friday.
More than 50 students along with their parents and teachers had congregated for the felicitation programme which was being organised without prior permission from any of Local authorities. COVID-19 Guidelines such as maintaining of social distancing and wearing masks were not being followed during the above programme, putting the lives of young students and their parents at risk.
On receiving information, BMC South East Zone authorities reached the spot along with Police personnel and found that the coaching centre didn’t take prior permission to organise the programme. Hence, the centre was closed immediately taking into account the safety of young students as well as their parents.
Besides, the coaching centre authorities submitted an undertaking addressed to the Commissioner BMC in this regard rendering an unconditional apology for conducting the programme without any prior permission.
“We have closed the coaching institute in view of students safety as it was found violating COVID-19 norms formulated by the Govt. of Odisha and BMC,” said Zonal Deputy Commissioner (South-East), BMC, Ansuman Rath,
The coaching institute was to remain closed till further orders, Rath informed.
