'Pvt school in South Delhi teaching students at illegally built basement'

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday alleged that a private school in South Delhi's Andrewsganj was running classes in an illegally built basement in its premises, posing risk to children, and accused BJP-run MCDs of inaction.

During an inspection last year, it was found that 27 classrooms were operating in the basement, following which the South Delhi civic body was directed to take action but no step was taken, AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said at a press conference.

He said the basement was built illegally as it was not marked in the school map given to the Fire Department.

Bhardwaj slammed the BJP-run MCDs over not taking any action for one year after the petition committee of the Delhi Legislative Assembly submitted the report of violation of safety norms by four South Delhi private schools.

Addressing reporters at the party headquarters, Bhardwaj said many private schools of Delhi are violating safety norms and the petition committee had received reports of such violations in the four schools.

"We submitted a report to the MCDs and asked them to take action but nothing happened. Finally, I submitted the whole report to the Delhi Legislative Assembly yesterday on behalf of the petition committee," he said.

Showing a video in the press conference, Bhardwaj said when the officers of the Petition Committee, DCPCR and Delhi Directorate of Education visited the private school in Andrewsganj, the children themselves told the team that there is a basement inside the school.

He further said that this school was violating the Supreme Court order and running classrooms inside the basement without any ventilation and fire exits.

"We submitted the whole report to the BJP-run MCD one year ago and asked for action but they did not do anything. It's unfortunate that for the last 15 years the Fire Department has been continuously providing NOC to this school without investigation.

"It is written in the NOC that the school has no basement. The MCD has also given NOC only for the ground floor, first, second and third floor," alleged Bharadwaj.