NEW DELHI: In the aftermath of drowning deaths of three UPSC aspirants due to waterlogging at a Rajinder Nagar coaching center, multiple pleas have been filed in the Delhi High Court seeking justice and accountability.
One of the pleas calls for the constitution of a high-level committee to investigate the incident, probe illegal commercial constructions, and compile a report on coaching institutes operating without adhering to standard norms.
“This writ petition is being filed in public interest under Article 226 of the Constitution to bring to the court’s notice the violation of Article 21 by the respondents, and to investigate the incidents at the coaching institute in Rajinder Nagar and other similar occurrences,” the plea stated.
The plea highlights that due to significant corruption within government departments, many lives have been lost over the years. The capital has witnessed numerous tragic incidents recently, the Rajender Nagar horror being the latest.
The plea mentions the Delhi government, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Jal Board, and Fire Service as respondents. It condemns the negligence of the agencies, stating that despite past directives from the court to crack down on coaching centres violating safety measures, compliance has been inadequate.
“In June last year, a fire incident occurred in Mukherjee Nagar. This court took suo moto cognizance and issued notices to the Fire Department and the Delhi government, seeking a status report. Directions were issued to crack down on unsafe coaching centres, yet the recent deaths prove that these directives were not followed,” the plea argued.
The plea also emphasised that over 50% commercial buildings in Delhi operate illegally, many in residential areas, without proper clearances. It accused corrupt officers of allowing this illegal functioning for bribes, resulting in repeated tragedies.
The plea further contended that the right to die with dignity is fundamental under Article 21, and the respondents have failed to provide this.
UPSC aspirant writes to CJI
A civil service aspirant has written to the Chief Justice of India narrating the ordeal faced by fellow students, who live in Rajinder Nagar, Mukherjee Nagar, and the other ‘coaching colonies’ in Delhi, describing their predicament as “living a life of hell” due to poor infrastructure, drainage and other issues. The student urged the CJI to take necessary action against those responsible for the tragedy.