A potential health hazard looms large over South and West Delhi with over 500 eateries, health centres and gyms operating illegally there. These restaurants, pubs, hotels and fitness centres have not obtained the mandatory health licence from the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) even as their businesses continue to flourish under the patronage of Municipal authorities.
Official figures of the SDMC reveal that out of 1,576 establishments (health units) that require health licences, 544 are running without it in four administrative zones of the Corporation. This includes eateries in some prominent markets in the Central zone. However, well-placed sources in the civic body said that numbers are at least ten times higher than the official figure, as a majority of such units are missing from the records of the civic body.
Obtaining a health trade licence is mandatory for running any commercial activity, which relates to public health at large. The licence is issued by the local bodies following inspection of hygiene, quality of food and other factors.
More interesting is the figure from Najafgarh zone where unauthorised units outnumber licenced units with at least five of its wards not having a single authorised health unit. Here 151 unauthorised units are operating as against 141 licenced ones. The situation is the same in other Municipal zones. The Central zone, which has prominent markets like Greater Kailash, New Friends Colony, Green Park and lajpat Nagar, has 113 illegal restaurants and pubs while 443 units have obtained the health trade licence. Similarly, in the South and West zones, 160 and 120 illegal health units are flourishing. These two zones have major markets like Hauz Khas, Vasant Vihar, Malviya Nagar, Rajouri Garden and Tilak Nagar among others.
In the popular Hauz Khas Village, as many as 42 restaurants, 57 fashion stores, 40 art galleries and 20 film studios are in operation. “Only 27 of these commercial units have obtained health and trade licences from the South Delhi Municipal Corporation,” said a senior Officer. Recently, National Green Tribunal had directed closure of 34 restaurants in the area after a petition was filed against it claiming that they were polluting the 14th Century village. The area has a lake, a green belt and ruins of archaeological importance in the vicinity of the restaurants.
However, sources said that the figure is an eyewash to save officials of the civic body. “According to official figures, only 1,576, establishments are in operation with or without the health licences in four Municipal zones. Numbers are much higher than the official figures. These include hundreds of chef carts in almost all major markets and roads,” said Subhash Arya, leader of House in SDMC. He blamed the officials of the Health Department for not issuing licences despite the Corporation simplifying the procedure to obtain them.