Delhi HC Asks MCD Officials To Visit Coaching Centre Tragedy Site To Ensure Change; Check Chief Secy Big Charge

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court directed on Wednesday that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) senior officials must visit the affected areas of the coaching tragedy incident to ensure change. The court ordered that an affidavit detailing the actions taken be submitted by tomorrow (August 1). It also mandated that all relevant files be produced before the court and that the MCD Director must be present. Additionally, Delhi Police should be added as a respondent in the case.

Delhi govt to bring law to regulate coaching centres

In the wake of the recent coaching centre flooding tragedy, the Delhi government is set to bring a law to regulate coaching centres in the national capital. This was announced by Delhi Revenue Minister Atishi said on Wednesday.
The minister said the basements of 30 coaching centres were sealed and 200 institutes were served notices following the basement flooding incident that killed three IAS aspirants. The Delhi government would form a committee comprising officials and students from coaching hubs to formulate regulations for the coaching centres, she added.

Why the tragedy happened?

The minister said two important things were highlighted about the incident in the interim inquiry report and a preliminary MCD report. “The drain which is the reason for the waterlogging in that area was encroached upon by all the coaching centres there. Because of this encroachment, water was not going down the drain. The way these coaching centres were running classes in the basement and libraries were set up, it was 100% illegal,” the minister said. She also confirmed that the Junior Engineer, who was responsible for the drain maintenance there, was permanently terminated from the MCD.

‘Delhi minister delayed key legislation to tackle waterlogging in capital’

Chief Secretary, Naresh Kumar, has blamed minister Saurabh Bharadwaj—who holds multiple portfolios including flood control— of delaying a key legislation to combat and tackle waterlogging in the national capital. He blamed the minister in his report on the recent coaching centre tragedy at Delhi’s Rajinder Nagar, in which three IAS aspirants died. He also blamed the coaching centre for encroachment that blocked drains.

Earlier, Bharadwaj—who is also the urban development minister—had alleged that he wrote several times since February to the Chief Secretary for preparing a comprehensive strategy for desilting of drains. However, the minister had claimed that the bureaucrat had evaded responding to the matter. The bureaucrat claimed that it was found in the meeting that the drainage management had to be consolidated in Delhi for 18 years and emphasized the need for a Storm Water and Drainage Act with penal provisions for encroachment and dumping of waste in drains. The meeting also called for a Master Drainage Plan for Delhi.

The Chief Secretary claimed that these findings were submitted to the minister in August 2023. The minister, as per the bureaucrat, kept the findings for consideration till February this year. After five months, the minister asked for a presentation, the senior official claimed as per an NDTV report.

The senior official claimed that the Irrigation and Flood Control Department had not taken any decision yet on bringing a Storm Water and Drainage Act. The Chief Secretary, as per media reports, claimed that an IIT Delhi report on the Master Drainage Plan was not accepted by Aam Aadmi Party government.