BHOPAL\INDORE (Madhya Pradesh): In light of the deaths of three civil services aspirants at a water-logged coaching centre in Delhi, the state government on Monday directed civic bodies to survey coaching classes operating in basements of buildings and ensure safety measures are in place on such premises.
CM Mohan Yadav gave these instructions in a review meeting held on Monday at Mantralaya in Bhopal.
Yadav said the untimely death of three youngsters preparing for civil services exams in Delhi's Old Rajendra Nagar was sad and painful.
Additional Chief Secretary Dr Rajesh Rajoura said instructions have been issued to 16 Municipal Corporation Commissioners to inspect the coaching institutes and other dharamshalas and institutions running in the basements in their jurisdiction and submit a report.
In compliance with the chief minister's directive, instructions have been given to look into the drainage system and ensure safe electrical arrangements in case of waterlogging at coaching centres operating in basements, principal secretary (Revenue) Nikunj Kumar Srivastava said.
Meanwhile, civil services aspirants in Indore raised questions about safety arrangements at coaching institutes, claiming several centres were operating far beyond their capacity.
Around four lakh students are preparing for the civil services examinations in Indore.
Talking to reporters, Aakash Pathak, leader of candidates preparing for the exam in Indore, claimed that many coaching institutes were operating far beyond their capacity and lacked safety arrangements.
"In light of the Delhi incident, coaching institutes in Indore should be investigated, and those ignoring safety norms should be sealed. We have sent a memorandum to the chief minister, collector and police commissioner of Indore," he said.
Indore collector Ashish Singh said, "We will investigate coaching institutes. The investigation team will have officials from the district administration, Indore Municipal Corporation, police and fire department." He said the administration has been collecting information from the civic body about the number of coaching centres operating in basements of buildings.
"We will inspect the arrangements they have made to deal with fire, flooding and electrical accidents at such institutes," Singh said.
