A day after flooding in the basement of a UPSC coaching centre in Rajinder Nagar area, killed three students, Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Sunday attacked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Government, calling the incident “indicative of the larger malaise of misgovernance” in the national Capital over the last decade. Saxena also directed the divisional commissioner to submit a report covering every aspect of the flooding at Rau’s IAS Study Circle in Old Rajinder Nagar and submit a report by Tuesday. The LG said the incident points to “criminal neglect” and lack of “basic maintenance” by concerned agencies. “What has been happening is unpardonable and such issues can no longer be glossed over, he said on X.
Saxena paid his condolences to the families of the deceased and posted, “I am deeply anguished by the death of 3 Civil Services aspirants due to water logging in the basement of a coaching centre and that of another student due to water logging related electrocution. That this should happen in the Capital of India is most unfortunate & unacceptable.”
He said seven other people had also been electrocuted in the last seven days. “My deepest condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives. You are in my thoughts and prayers,” he said.
Saxena said he has been keeping a close watch over the situation and has monitored the rescue operations by Delhi Police and the fire department personally. “These incidents clearly points towards criminal neglect & failure of basic maintenance & administration by concerned agencies & departments,” he said in another post. “Drainage in the city and related infrastructure, as also required efforts and endeavours to address these have apparently collapsed, Saxena said.
He added that the incident is indicative of the “larger malaise of misgovernance that Delhi has been subjected to during the last decade or so”. The role of coaching institutions and landlords in not ensuring basic safety of students, who pay hefty fees and rents, away from their homes needs to be looked into, the LG said.
He emphasised that while nothing can bring back the precious young lives lost due to the negligence of the administration and the criminal misconduct of those running coaching institutions, the responsibility of those who caused the loss of lives will be determined, and the guilty will be held accountable.
“What has been happening is unpardonable and such issues can no more be glossed over. I have asked the Divisional Commissioner to submit a report, covering every aspect of the tragic incident by Tuesday,” he added.