33 Hauz Khas eateries given consent to operate: DPCC to NGT

New Delhi: The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has informed the National Green Tribunal that 33 restaurants in the capital`s upmarket Hauz Khas village area have been given consent to operate.

The DPCC, in an affidavit placed before a bench of NGT judicial members justices P Jyothimani and M S Nambiar, has said the eateries had applied for consent to establish and operate by providing all relevant documents and hence they were given the requisite approval. The authority also submitted that the 33 restaurants operating in Hauz Khas area have installed effluent treatment plants (ETP), which are in functioning capacity, apart from the generator sets which are also working adequately. In view of the submissions made by the DPCC, the tribunal disposed of the plea alleging that the eateries in the Hauz Khas village area were discharging untreated effluents into the environment and not complying with the norms. "In as much as, the DPCC having satisfied about adequacy of the effluent treatment plant having installed the same apart from generator sets and it has also granted consent to operate in accordance with law and are operating as on date, we record the said statement and we hold that nothing survives in so far as the said 33 restaurants are concerned," the bench said. The tribunal, however, made it clear that the restaurants shall continue to maintain ETP and generator sets within the required standards and directed the DPCC to make periodical visits to ensure continuous compliance of the environmental standards. DPCC was also directed to find out if there are any other eateries in the area which are operating without consent of the authority and if yes, to take appropriate action against them and report back to the tribunal, before the next date of hearing on March 26.