Tawde sitting on draft bill to regulate coaching classes: NCP

In the wake of the Surat fire tragedy, the NCP Monday accused Maharashtra Education Minister Vinod Tawde of sitting on a draft bill that seeks to regulate private coaching classes and ensure fire audits.

Alleging a quid pro quo between Taede and tutors' association, NCP leader Anil Deshmukh appealed to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to ensure that the bill gets passed in the state legislature.

Deshmukh, a former education minister, has raised the concerns in the wake of the death of 22 students in Surat after fire engulfed their coaching institute on May 24.

The draft bill aims to regulate the private coaching classes and ensure fire audits there.

Deshmukh said there are around 1.10 lakh private coaching classes in Maharashtra, including 30,000 to 35,000 in Mumbai alone.

He alleged that fire audit was not being conducted across the coaching classes, which he said are located in densely located areas.

"The Surat-like incident can very much occur in Maharashtra or Mumbai. The minister is sitting on it. There is a quid pro quo between him and private coaching classes' association," he alleged.

Deshmukh said draft bill is pending before the minister since March 28, 2018.

"The minister had assured to bring the law based on the draft, but there has been no execution," he added.