MCD Official Tariq Thomas Meets Protesting Students Over UPSC Aspirants’ Deaths in Delhi
On Wednesday, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) authorities met with students on a hunger strike protesting the deaths of three UPSC aspirants. The incident occurred when the basement of a coaching centre in Old Rajinder Nagar, Central Delhi, was flooded with rainwater on Saturday, July 27.
MCD’s Additional Commissioner, Tariq Thomas, admitted that the incident was a ‘failure’ of the civic body officials. He said, “It is a failure for all of us and for me personally. It is a failure for us as officers that this incident has happened.” He further added, “This should not have happened. We should have done our duty better; there is no excuse.”
A delegation of students was taken to the MCD commissioner’s office in a police bus for the meeting. The protesting students said they would not stop until their demands are met. On Tuesday, students and representatives from 15 coaching institutions met Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena. They demanded Rs 3 crore in compensation for the families of the deceased students. While the coaching centre has not yet disclosed the compensation amount, they have agreed to provide it.
“Representatives of coaching institutes asked to make a bridge between the institute and students so they can pay the compensation money. LG sir assured us that a committee will be formed, where student representatives of coaching institutes and government officials will be part of the students, and the committee will check whether the norms of the buildings are being followed properly or not,” a student added.
In response to the incident, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued notices to the Delhi Chief Secretary, Police Commissioner, and MCD Commissioner on Tuesday, demanding a detailed report within two weeks. The NHRC also directed a survey to identify coaching centres operating in violation of norms and to take action against negligent officials who failed to address these irregularities.
Doubts Revealed
MCD -: MCD stands for Municipal Corporation of Delhi. It is a local government body that takes care of civic services like cleaning streets and managing parks in Delhi.
Tariq Thomas -: Tariq Thomas is an official who works for the MCD. He is the Additional Commissioner, which means he has a high-ranking job in the MCD.
UPSC -: UPSC stands for Union Public Service Commission. It is an organization in India that conducts exams to select people for important government jobs.
Old Rajinder Nagar -: Old Rajinder Nagar is a place in Delhi. It is known for having many coaching centers where students prepare for exams like the UPSC.
NHRC -: NHRC stands for National Human Rights Commission. It is an organization in India that works to protect people’s rights and make sure everyone is treated fairly.
compensation -: Compensation is money given to someone to make up for a loss or injury. In this case, students are asking for Rs 3 crore to be given to the families of the students who died.
hunger strike -: A hunger strike is when people refuse to eat to protest something they think is wrong. The students are not eating to show how upset they are about the deaths of the UPSC aspirants.
