Seven coaching centres lacking fire fighting systems sealed in Ghaziabad

Seven coaching institutes in Ghaziabad were sealed Tuesday for not having fire fighting equipment. The coaching centres will remain shut till their owners do not acquire 'no objection certificates' from the Fire Department, said District Magistrate Ritu Maheshwari.

"They have been ordered to install fire fighting systems and to recruit trained manpower to operate them. Stringent action will be initiated against those flouting these instructions," she said. The sealed institutes are identified as Friends Coaching Centre, Aryabhatt Coaching Centre, Ameesh Academy, KD Campus, Shreshtha IAS, Balaji IAS and Mannat Academy.

The administration has decided to survey the district for a week to find out if any more coaching institutes are violating the anti-fire norms, the district magistrate added. The action follows a major fire at a coaching institute in Surat of Gujarat Friday in which over 20 students died.