Nagpur: BJP MLA Pravin Datke on Thursday urged the state govt to conduct a statewide inspection of buildings that house coaching classes and ban those operating without licences. Raising the issue in the Assembly during the monsoon session in Mumbai, he sought immediate verification of fire safety compliance and building permissions at coaching centres across Maharashtra.Datke demanded that authorities check whether coaching class buildings possess no-objection certificates (NOCs) and valid construction approvals. He also said to close those institutes that are found violating safety norms. He referred to the fire at a commercial building in Lucknow’s Aliganj area on Monday, in which 15 students, aged between 15 and 25, died. The building allegedly lacked adequate fire safety arrangements, did not have a fire NOC and was being used for commercial purposes without authorisation, he said.The demand comes amid concerns over fire safety violations at coaching centres in Nagpur. Official records show that more than 100 such buildings have been declared unsafe, while a dozen others face disconnection of electricity and water supply for failing to comply with safety norms.TOI reported earlier this week on fire safety concerns at coaching centres, citing an incident on May 6 in which around 150 students attending IIT-JEE, NEET and MHT-CET coaching classes had a narrow escape after a fire broke out in an electricity meter unit on the first floor of a two-storey commercial complex on Mount Road in Sadar. No injuries were reported.As per data from the Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s fire and emergency services department, 141 buildings housing coaching classes were inspected till June 23. Of these, 103 were declared unsafe and action was initiated under Section 8(1) of the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006, for failing to install firefighting systems and other life safety measures.Another 40 establishments face action under Section 8(2)(a) of the Act, which empowers authorities to seek disconnection of electricity and water supply to premises that continue to operate despite non-compliance with fire safety norms.Records show 15 cases were forwarded to Nagpur city police for FIRs under Section 36 of the Act, while files of 60 coaching institutes were sent to zonal offices for action over misuse of sanctioned building plans. Only 37 institutes have submitted ‘A’ certificates confirming completion of firefighting arrangements.The fire department has repeatedly written to assistant municipal commissioners seeking action against owners using residential buildings commercially, an area that falls primarily under the town planning department.
