DELHI EATERY THAT DENIED ENTRY TO WOMAN IN SAREE SHUTS

NEW DELHI: A restaurant in south Delhi, which recently received flak on the social media for allegedly refusing to allow a woman entry because she was dressed in a saree, has shut down following a closure notice by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) for operating without a valid health trade licence, officials aware of the development said.

The owner of the establishment, located in Ansal Plaza, told SDMC in a written undertaking that he has shut down the eatery, the officials said.

Abhishek Dutt, municipal councillor from Andrews Ganj, moved a private member resolution on the issue on the controversy in the SDMC House meeting on Wednesday. A senior SDMC official from the public health department informed the House that the owner of the restaurant was served a closure notice on September 24.

According to the closure notice which HT has seen, the area public health inspector found that the restaurant was running without a valid licence. The notice also mentioned encroachment on public land for which, it said, action was taken on September 21.

A senior corporation official said the inspector visited the eatery again on September 24, and found that no corrective measures were taken. Subsequently, a closure notice was served and the restaurant owner was warned that the premises will be sealed, if the unit was not shut within 48 hours.

In his response on September 27, the owner submitted an affidavit stating, “I have closed down the above said trade immediately and I shall not run the same trade without SDMC trade licence under insanitary condition from health point of view and create nuisance. The eatery has applied for a new health trade licence.”