The Delhi government has issued a show-cause notice to a private school in Vikaspuri over “life-threatening safety hazards and financial irregularities”.

The school was found to be running 43 classrooms without fire safety clearance and had constructed an unauthorised tin-shed structure, according to an official statement from the Education Minister’s office.

The government has given the school seven days to respond, failing which it may proceed with an immediate takeover.

The statement said the school was also found to be illegally extracting groundwater, not paying teachers’ salaries, and running senior secondary classes without valid recognition.

It had constructed a large unauthorised tin-shed structure with 30 rooms, along with an illegal basement and an unauthorised third floor, the statement added.

The school also raised its fees without approval from the Directorate of Education, including hikes of 20% to 25% during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Directorate has asked the school management to explain why action should not be initiated under Section 20 of the Delhi School Education Act (DSEA), 1973, including a possible government takeover. It has also sought an explanation on why the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) should not cancel the lease of the concessional public land allotted to the school.