After Surat tragedy, Delhi Fire Service planning to audit coaching institutes in national capital

NEW DELHI: Learning lessons from gut-wrenching fire tragedy in Surat, which claimed the lives of 20 people, the Delhi Fire Service is likely to conduct audit of all coaching institutes running in the national capital to avert any such tragedy. Talking to PTI, Delhi Fire service officials said the department is planning to conduct audit from Monday.

A senior official, however, said that those coaching institutes, which are functioning in buildings below 15 metres, will not be audited as they do not come directly under the jurisdiction of Delhi Fire Service. "Small coaching institutes do not come directly under our jurisdiction, but still we will start from Monday inspections of coaching institutes which are functioning in buildings above 15 metres and facts will be checked whether they have applied for license and if not, notice will be issued against them," Delhi chief Fire officer Atul Garg told PTI. 

Sources said that the Delhi Fire Service has already started the process in this regard and a public notice would be issued soon. The Delhi Fire Service officials are planning to check all buildings which will be found to be violating norms. This is going to be a time-taking and tedious process but anyone found floating norms will face strict action.

"The fire department called a meeting on Saturday of all the senior officers to discuss the issue and the department is searching how to deal with small coaching institutes, and if required, we will approach the government as well," said a senior officer. 

"The Delhi Fire Department is prepared for any tragedy like Surat. As far as preparedness is concerned, the department is ready to tackle any tragedy and Delhi is much more safer," Garg said. "On Thursday, the department rescued 30 people safely after a major fire broke out on the fifth floor of a building in Nehru Place here. No casualties were reported in the incident, he added.