We take strict action against illegal food stalls: BMC to HC

In a bid to pat its own back, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday informed the Bombay High Court that it has been taking strict action against unauthorised hawkers. The civic body told the HC it is monitoring all the wards and is making it a point that not a single unauthorised food stall operates on the road side.

This comes in response to the earlier orders of passed by the division bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Riyaz Chagla calling upon the BMC to explain how these illegal food stalls get gas cylinders.

Senior advocate Anil Sakhre, appearing for the BMC furnished an affidavit consisting of a chart of ward-wise action taken against the illegal food stalls.

Sakhre said, “The allegation against the BMC that it provides the gas cylinders to illegal food stalls is baseless. We seize cylinders of such stalls and hand it over to concerned gas companies. Also, the stoves which are recovered from the spots are never given back to such stall owners.”

“We have been visiting all the spots in the city and wherever we come across any stall, we initiate action. We have been continuously taking actions against such illegal food stalls,” Sakhre added.

Countering the civic body’s claims, the advocate appearing for the petitioner – Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association, told the judges that these are nothing but ‘isolated’ actions. He said, “The BMC returns everything be it cylinders, stoves or other goods to the food stall owners after a day or two of the seizure. These are mere eyewash and nothing else.”

The advocate for the petitioner further informed the judges that he wish to file a reply in response to the claims of the BMC.

Having heard the submissions from both the sides, the judges allowed the association to file its reply within next two weeks.

The judges while hearing a writ petition filed by the Association, seeking a direction to the BMC to act against the unauthorised and illegal hawkers, who cook and sell food on streets. The petition cited the judgement delivered by a bench of Justice Oka in October 2015 wherein, he had banned roadside cooking of food.