Revoke notices, hotels tell NDMC

NEW DELHI: Delhi Hotel Mahasangh, a federation claiming the support of around 2,000 small guesthouses in the national capital, on Tuesday said that a large number of hoteliers and restaurant owners operating in Paharganj have been served notices by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC).

The civic body served these notices, most of them dated December 31 last, over ‘polluted and unhygienic conditions and encroaching public land/violating terms of municipal health licences’.

Mahasangh general secretary Arun Gupta said, “These notices have been served to around 150 hotels and restaurants operating in Paharganj and nearby areas. A majority of them were served the notices on December 31, which was a Sunday and without proper verification of the premises.”

Mr Gupta claimed that all hotels and restaurant owners comply with all the directives of the civil body. “If notices were to be issued then proper checks should have been conducted in the presence of the property owners. When the hotel and restaurant owners are willing to remove any deficiency pointed out by the civil body, the NDMC should withdraw these notices and give us time to set things right or else we will stage a protest on the issue ,” Mr Gupta added.

The NDMC, on its part, has asked those who were served the notices to revert back within 24 hours failing which they would attract action, according to a notice, a copy of which is available with the newspaper.

“All our members adhere to the law and we will fulfil any requirement the civic body proposes. But it must follow a valid procedure and not issue such bulk notices,” said Mr Gupta.