Coaching centre in Uttarakhand sealed for violating safety norms

Kotdwar: A coaching centre being run in the basement of a private building here was sealed on Saturday for violating safety norms during a drive in Uttarakhand following the drowning of three IAS aspirants in Delhi.

Several other coaching centres in the area were warned of strict action if they did not soon address the lack of safety equipment like fire extinguishers or emergency gates on their premises, an official said.

Lakshya Coaching Centre on Devi Road was sealed after it was found during a raid that it was not following the safety norms, Sub-Divisional Magistrate Sohan Singh Saini told PTI.

The drive to check if coaching centres in Uttarakhand were following the safety norms was conducted in the wake of the death of three UPSC aspirants at a prominent coaching centre in Delhi after rainwater gushed into its basement.

According to officials, almost all coaching centres raided on Saturday had shortcomings.

While some were located on narrow lanes, poor ventilation, improper lighting, rooms crammed with too many students and inadequate fire safety arrangements were among the other shortcomings noticed at the coaching centres during the raid, Saini said.

They have been told to address the shortcomings or face action, he added.

Dugadda's Block Education Officer Amit Chand said it was observed that the tuition and coaching centres did not have proper seating arrangements or fire extinguishers. Also, these institutes had no emergency gates, he said.