New Delhi, Aug 5 (UNI) The Supreme Court on Monday took suo motu cognizance of the lack of safety norms for coaching centres in the Capital in the backdrop of the death of three students who drowned in a flooded basement in Old Rajendra Nagar amid heavy rains last month.
A division bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan issued notice to the Centre, the Delhi government and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi over the death of the three students and asked them to file their response as to what safety norms have been prescribed so far.
The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal filed by the Coaching Federation of India (CFI) challenging directions of the Delhi High Court about the proliferation of coaching institutes in Mukherjee Nagar, Delhi, for their failure to comply with fire and safety norms.
Justice Kant said, “It is a very inappropriate time when this plea has come up. This relates to Mukherjee Nagar. Maybe suo Motu we should do something in this,” the court said while showing its concern.
The Court while dismissing the petition said, this is a frivolous plea and imposed a cost of Rs 1 lakh on the CFI.
The Court said, “On this plea by the Coaching Federation, we are imposing 1 lakh cost to be deposited in SCBA and SCAORA.”
“These places have become death chambers. You want us to set aside this simple order. You are taking away the lives of young ones coming from different parts of the country,” Justice Kant added.
On this plea by the Coaching Federation, we are imposing a Rs 1 Lakh cost to be deposited in SCBA and SCAORA
The High Court had directed, “All coaching institutes and Centres of Delhi are required to comply with the fire and safety norms under the Master Plan of Delhi, 2021 read with Unified Building Bye-Laws of Delhi, 2016. “
The Apex Court, however, relaxed some norms and said that the coaching institutes can operate online unless there is full compliance with the safety norms and basic norms for the dignified life of young ones studying there. “Such norms must include proper ventilation, safety passages, air, and light,” the bench added.
