NGT to SDMC: Ensure restaurants don't choke drains

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) to ensure that restaurants within its jurisdiction do not discharge waste in an unregulated manner which result in choking or blocking the of drains.

A bench, headed by NGT chairperson justice Swa-tanter Kumar, has directed corporation and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to take action against the violating units.

During the proceedings at the tribunal, the counsel appearing for the DPCC and the corporation assured the bench that they would ensure no restaurants would be allowed to carry out operations unless they had obtained consent to operate from the pollution control board and licence from the municipal body.

“The corporation shall also ensure that the drains to which these restaurants are connected is not permitted to be choked because of the discharge from the restaurants,” the bench said.

“If it is so noticed by the authority concerned they shall take action in accordance with the law. The respondents shall abide by their statements,” the bench added.

The green panel’s direction came on a petition  filed by social activist Pankaj Sharma who alleged that many restaurants and pubs across South Delhi were functioning without having the required environment clearances or no objection certificate (NOC) from the authorities, including the fire department.

The tribunal, however, said that the prayer in the petition was “misconceived” and that the environmental clearance was not required to be obtained under the notification of 2006 “for running a restaurant unless it is a part of the project which is otherwise covered under the said notification.