Conditional approval given to 26 eateries in Hauz Khas Village
26 Sept 2013 5:33 AM IST
In a relief to several restaurants in Hauz Khas Village area, which were closed down five days ago, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday granted conditional approval to 26 eating joints to start serving food.
A bench headed by justice P Jyothimani only allowed those restaurants to open, which have installed Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) or are in the process of installing them, but clarified that the permission to operate would be subject to final decision of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), which would verify if the ETPs are functioning properly.
While the order was welcomed by the owners of the eating joints, advocate Sumedha Dua, appearing for petitioner Pankaj Sharma, aired her reservations regarding the NGT’s decision. She contended that while allowing the lone eating joint, which has installed an ETP, is fine, permission for restaurants to operate before installation of the ETPs would result in perpetuation of pollution. This would adversely affect Hauz Khas Village, a notified heritage site.
The bench, while taking notes of her objection, said, ‘The permission granted to them (eateries), in our view, does not amount to violation of law.’ Fourteen eating joints have started civil work for installation ETPs. Eleven have issued purchase orders for ETPs but are yet to commence installation. They have been given four weeks time by the bench to complete the whole process.
A bench headed by justice P Jyothimani only allowed those restaurants to open, which have installed Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) or are in the process of installing them, but clarified that the permission to operate would be subject to final decision of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), which would verify if the ETPs are functioning properly.
While the order was welcomed by the owners of the eating joints, advocate Sumedha Dua, appearing for petitioner Pankaj Sharma, aired her reservations regarding the NGT’s decision. She contended that while allowing the lone eating joint, which has installed an ETP, is fine, permission for restaurants to operate before installation of the ETPs would result in perpetuation of pollution. This would adversely affect Hauz Khas Village, a notified heritage site.
The bench, while taking notes of her objection, said, ‘The permission granted to them (eateries), in our view, does not amount to violation of law.’ Fourteen eating joints have started civil work for installation ETPs. Eleven have issued purchase orders for ETPs but are yet to commence installation. They have been given four weeks time by the bench to complete the whole process.
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