NEW DELHI: You can have a taste of Himalayan cuisine and a view of the lush deer park from the little restaurants of Hauz Khas Village. A wide variety of cuisine, the backdrop of graffiti, art galleries and alleys of an urban village make it one of the most attractive hangouts in Delhi, even for foreigners.
But not many know how these eateries are unsustainably extracting groundwater and are polluting water bodies by discharging untreated waste water into sewers. Customers are against closing these eateries. Instead the agencies should impose strict norms and see that no environmental norms are flouted.
"A lot of tourists come here because of its colourful atmosphere and the variety of cuisines. Why close this place completely?" asked Shruti Bagla, who comes here often.
Most eateries claimed that they did not know that it was mandatory to take permission from the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) before starting a restaurant. "Ours is a small restaurant operating out of a cramped space. We cannot install an ETP here. So we are discussing whether we should close down," said a staff member of Gunpowder, a popular south Indian restaurant. "We have no objection to treating waste water but we don't have space," he added.
The manager at Yeti, serving Nepalese and Burmese cuisines, T B Kakri, said all eateries were planning to set up a large ETP together. "Everybody is ready to set it up. We have not worked out the finance but we will get it done," he said.
But restaurant owners complain that the government agencies, the South corporation and DPCC, have not mentioned that setting up of ETPs is mandatory and the norms are not specified anywhere. "The corporation is not responsible for checking ETPs while issuing or renewing health trade licences. The restaurant owners didn't know which agency issues permission for ETPs. The government and DPCC should advertise properly and clarify the norms. People can't be blamed and punished for mistakes of government agencies," said Shailender Singh (Monty), area councillor and chairman of the South corporation's health committee.
The first notice, which was issued by DPCC two-three weeks ago, had come as a rude shock. "We have written back to DPCC that we are willing to set up the plant. But we need its assistance. When we have got all the necessary licences, why will we not set up ETPs? It is just that we didn't know about it. Now, we are in the process of setting it up," said Gautam Chadha, owner of The Golkonda Bowl.
"We came here long ago when there were no pubs or bars. The place has become very crowded and popular now. We have been filtering our waste oil and water but now we are setting up an ETP. It will cost us about Rs 3 lakh," said Narender Mendan, manager at Naivedyam, a south Indian restaurant that has been serving for 19 years.
DPCC's rule book says eateries should have ETPs, including proper oil and grease trap, for the effluent arising from kitchen and washing activities and will comply with general standards for discharge of effluent into public sewers. "It doesn't cost much to set up an ETP—about Rs 2-3 lakh. Why can't such posh restaurants install ETPs?" said Sandeep Mishra, member secretary, DPCC.
Source - TOI - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Hauz-Khas-eateries-plan-joint-effluent-plant/articleshow/22823527.cms
