Delhi fire filled building with carbon monoxide; most fatalities due to suffocation
New Delhi: The NDRF team that entered the Delhi building where at least 43 people died in a massive fire Sunday morning, said the building was filled with hazardous carbon monoxide.
Most workers of the illegal manufacturing units that ran in the four-storey building in north Delhi's Anaj Mandi area died due to suffocation.
After the Delhi Fire Service controlled the fire, the National Disaster Response Force searched the building for hazardous gases with gas detectors, said Aditya Pratap Singh, deputy commander, NDRF.
"We found carbon monoxide (CO). After which we searched the area manually. The entire third and fourth floor of the building was engulfed with smoke. The content of CO was more," he said.
The hazardous gas has no odour or colour, is generally produced when fuels such as gas, oil, coal and wood do not burn fully. The NDRF deputy commander said his team found some windows at the building were sealed.
"There was a room, where most of the workers were sleeping, which had only a single space for ventilation. The maximum number of workers were shifted from the third floor. Due to the burning of the materials present in the building, CO was formed, which explains the reason for high CO content," he said.
The fire incident was the second worst in the city, since the 1997 Uphaar Cinema tragedy that claimed 59 lives.
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CBSE makes three-language study compulsory in Class 9 from July 1
New Delhi (PTI): The CBSE has made the study of three languages, including at least two native Indian languages, compulsory for Class-9 students beginning July 1, according to a circular issued by the board.
The move is part of the Central Board of Secondary Education's (CBSE) alignment of its Scheme of Studies with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023.
According to the circular issued on May 15, students opting for a foreign language may do so only as the third language after studying two native Indian languages, or as an additional fourth language.
"With effect from July 1, 2026, for Class IX, the study of three languages (R1, R2, R3) shall be compulsory, with at least two languages being native Indian languages," the circular stated.
The CBSE said to keep the focus on learning and reduce any undue pressure on students, no board examination shall be conducted for R3 at the Class-10 level.
"All assessments for R3 shall be entirely school-based and internal. The performance of students in R3 will be duly reflected in the CBSE certificate. It is clarified that no student will be barred from appearing in the Class X Board Examinations due to R3. Sample question papers, rubrics for internal assessment will be shared by the Board shortly," it added.
The board also asked schools to update their R3 language offerings for Classes 6 to 9 on the OASIS portal by June 30.
Schools facing a shortage of qualified native Indian language teachers may use interim measures, such as inter-school resource sharing, virtual or hybrid teaching support, engagement of retired language teachers and qualified postgraduates, the circular said.
The CBSE further said relaxations would be provided to the Children With Special Needs (CwSN) in accordance with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, while foreign students returning to India may get case-by-case exemptions from the requirement of studying two native Indian languages.
