• By Nidhi Giri
  • Sat, 03 Aug 2024 08:29 AM (IST)
  • Source:JND

UPSC Aspirants' Deaths: In a major crackdown, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has taken action against properties for violations of building bylaws and sealed two basements for illegally operating as coaching centres in the national capital. The civic body sealed the two basements in the Shahdara South Zone and Najafagarh Zone, according to a statement. The MCD has also issued show cause notices to the coaching centres and property owners for misuse of property and violation of building bylaws in all the zones.

Meanwhile, MCD is also conducting a survey to identify coaching centres and other properties for violating rules in basements across all zones.

The MCD is committed to enforcing building bylaws strictly and ensuring the safety and security of students and citizens and it will continue to take strict action against properties violating building bylaws.

Notably, while hearing a petition seeking a high-level probe into the deaths of three UPSC aspirants in a drowning accident in Old Rajinder Nagar, the Delhi High Court dropped hammers on the MCD and the Delhi police, criticising them for making the system a brothers club and not doing their duties. Directing Delhi Police to take concrete criminal actions against the officials responsible for the lack-lustre attitude, asserted that 'even those in positions of power must be held accountable.'

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What Delhi High Court Observed Against MCD

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan lambasted the Municipal Corporation of Delhi for its incompetence and lax attitude. The court reminded the civic body of many previous directions in suo moto cases.

"You keep on passing orders. These orders are not implemented. Their whole case is that there is an order that is not abided by. There is no respect in law by your department. This has gone too far. That can't happen. You should have a robust mechanism where people should come to you and you should get feedback," ACJ said.

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Asking what action has been taken against the officials responsible for the lack of proper drainage, the High Court said that MCD officials should understand that there is 'criminal negligence attached to it.'

Earlier, the MCD sealed the basements of 13 coaching centres in Karol Bagh for violating building bye-laws amid protests by students.