New Delhi, July 30 -- After a surprise official enquiry by the Department of Education found safety lapses and financial irregularities at a private school in Vikaspuri, Delhi government warned the management of an immediate takeover if they fail to respond, said officials on Thursday.

In a statement, the government said that the school was found operating 43 classrooms illegally without any fire safety clearance, running massive unauthorized tin-shed structures, illegally extracting groundwater, exploiting teachers through unpaid salaries, enforcing unauthorized fee hikes, and running senior secondary classes without valid recognition.

The government has issued a show-cause notice and given the management a week to respond, officials sai...