New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday took a suo motu cognisance of the death of three civil services aspirants in a drowning incident, due to the flooding of the basement by rainwater at a coaching centre in the Old Rajender Nagar area of Delhi, saying “these places have become death chambers…”.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan issued a notice to the Centre, Delhi government seeking their response on safety norms, and also sought to know if all the safety norms existed in all the coaching centres. The students' deaths have triggered a row over infrastructure in the capital.
The bench, during the hearing, minced no words in strongly criticizing the authorities for failing to regulate coaching centres and stressed that there should be proper ventilation and safe entrances and exits.
The bench observed that these coaching centres have become "death chambers" and added that they are playing with the lives of children.
The bench also sought to know what rules have been laid down for coaching centres in Delhi.
The apex court made it clear that it is willing to know what steps have been taken against the backdrop of the tragic death of three IAS aspirants in Delhi.
"These places have become death chambers. Coaching institutes can operate online unless there is full compliance of safety and basic norms for a dignified life….”, said the bench.
The apex court also imposed a fine of ₹ 1 lakh on a petition - the Coaching Federation of India - for filing a plea against the Delhi High Court order, directing the Delhi government and MCD to shut down the coaching centres operating without a valid No-objection certificate (NOC) from the Fire Department after the incident.
The bench, in its order, said it seems to us that no coaching or tuition centre, not only in Delhi but at least even in NCR, should be allowed to operate unless there is meticulous compliance of fire safety norms and other safety measures for the students, besides other basic amenities for a dignified human life.
"Such norms must necessarily include proper ventilation, safety passages, air, light, potable water, washrooms and such other requisites as may be prescribed through statutory measures/guidelines," observed the bench.
The bench said it is not sure as to what effective steps in this regard have been taken so far by the NCT of Delhi or the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India.
The bench said the recent unfortunate incidents taking away the lives of some young aspirants, who joined the coaching centres for their career pursuits, are eye-openers for one and all.
"We, therefore, deem it appropriate to expand the scope of these proceedings, suo motu, and issue notice to (i) Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Union of India and (ii) NCT of Delhi through the Chief Secretary, to show cause as to what safety norms have been prescribed so far and, if so, what is the effective mechanism introduced to ensure their compliance," said the bench, in its order.
It also invited suggestions from other stakeholders, especially the students, as to what stringent measures are required to be taken on a short-term and long-term plan basis, and made the notice returnable on September 20, 2024.
The top court requested the Attorney General to assist the court on the next date of hearing and added, "the Registry shall inform the office of Chief Secretary, NCT of Delhi to submit a Compliance Affidavit in terms of the observations made hereinabove".
"Since a substantial part of the NCR falls within the States of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, both these States through their respective Principal Secretary, Urban Development Department are also ordered to be impleaded as respondent Nos.6 and 7 respectively," said the bench, in its order.
Earlier this month, the High Court had transferred the probe into the July 27 drowning of three civil services aspirants from Delhi Police to the CBI.
