21 ‘polluting’ HKV eateries sealed

SDM says closure notices served about 4 months ago, owners cry foul

New Delhi, Sept. 23: Twenty one eateries in the city’s Hauz Khas village, which were operating without environment clearances were sealed on Friday, days after the Delhi high court observed that the party zone was a “ticking time bomb”.

The eateries were sealed during a joint operation led by the sub-divisional magistrate, Delhi Pollution Control Committee and the police between 9 am and 2 pm, a government official said.

The sub-divisional magistrate of Hauz Khas, Ramchandra M. Shingare, who conducted the sealing operation along with Delhi Pollution Control Committee and Delhi Police officials, said the establishments were served closure notices about four months ago.

These establishments did not have the consent to establish or consent to operate, the DPCC, which had served show cause notices to them in April, said. The sealing drive was undertaken as the owners of the bars and restaurants failed to reply to the show cause notices.

The sealing was conducted under section 33A of Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and section 31A of Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.

Owners, however, said they were not given any notice.

On September 15, a bench headed by acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal warned the associations of restaurants owners that they will not be allowed escape civil and criminal liability in case any unfortunate incident takes place, as there was virtually no space for emergency vehicles to enter the area.

“The reports of Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Service, SDMC and the Delhi Jal Board illustrate that the Hauz Khas village is a ticking time bomb without essential civic and emergency services,” it had observed.