Expressing anguish over the death of three civil services aspirants due to waterlogging in the basement of a coaching centre in the national capital, Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena said on Sunday he had directed the divisional commissioner to submit a report covering all aspects of the tragic incident by Tuesday.
Saxena in a statement said, “I am deeply anguished by the death of 3 Civil Services aspirants due to water logging in the basement of a coaching centre and that of another student due to water logging related electrocution. That this should happen in the Capital of India is most unfortunate and unacceptable. Reportedly 7 other citizens have died due to electrocution in the past few days.”
“My deepest condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives,” the lieutenant governor said.
Saxena said he has been keeping a close watch on the situation and followed the rescue operations by Delhi Police and Delhi Fire personnel personally. “These incidents clearly points towards criminal neglect and failure of basic maintenance and administration by concerned agencies and departments,” he said.
“Drainage in the city and related infrastructure, as also required efforts and endeavours to address these has apparently collapsed. It is indicative of the larger malaise of misgovernance that Delhi has been subjected to during the last decade or so,” Saxena said.
He further said that the role of coaching institutions and landlords in not ensuring basic safety of students, who pay hefty fees and rents, away from their homes needs to be looked into.
“What has been happening is unpardonable. Such issues can no more be glossed over. I have asked the divisional commissioner to submit a report, covering every aspect of the tragic incident by Tuesday. While nothing can bring back the precious young lives lost due to apathy of the administration and criminal misconduct of those running coaching institutions, the responsibility of those who caused the loss of lives, will be fixed and guilty will be brought to book,” Saxena added.
Three UPSC aspirants died in the basement of a popular IAS coaching institute in Delhi’s Old Rajender Nagar on Saturday after the basement was flooded with water.
Earlier today, the Delhi Police arrested two persons, the owner and coordinator of the IAS coaching centre in connection with the deaths.