Hawkers must be prohibited from selling contaminated water, artificially-coloured drinks: Delhi HC tells MCD
New Delhi: The high court has asked the MCD to ensure that hawkers are prohibited from selling contaminated water or beverages like shikanji, lassi, lemon soda, sugarcane juice and jal jeera, besides cut fruits, and that action is taken against those found selling these items.
The court noted that the MCD, with the aid and assistance of police, has been proactively taking action against the illegal dissemination of contaminated water and artificially-flavoured coloured drinks made from harmful chemicals and substances in all the zones here.
The court said it appeared that the authorities has been taking such action from 2018 and in light of this, it does not find it necessary to ask for further status reports or action-taken reports from the respondents.
“Needless to state that the respondent/MCD must continue to ensure that hawkers are prohibited from selling contaminated water or passing of any contaminated beverages as shikanji, lassi, coloured drinks, soda water, lemon soda, cut fruits, sugarcane juice, jal jeera, ruhafza and kanji bottle.
“In this regard, the respondents must continue to carry out regular raids, confiscate illegal material and initiate prosecution against individuals engaged in the selling of contaminated water or passing of any contaminated beverages as shikanji, lassi, coloured drinks, soda water, lemon soda, cut fruits, sugarcane juice, jal jeera, ruhafza and kanji bottle,” a bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad said.
The high court disposed of the public interest litigation (PIL) matter filed by the Refrigerated Water Licensees Association that has more than 300 water-cooling units, seeking directions to the authorities concerned to forthwith clamp a ban on the sale of contaminated water by unlicensed roadside hawkers through e-rickshaws and unauthorised permanent structures and on the sale of artificially-flavoured coloured drinks made from harmful chemicals and substances and styling them as shikanji, lassi and aamras.
