PMC launches crackdown on illegal eateries

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has launched a crackdown against illegal eateries operating in its jurisdiction. The health department has been directed to serve notice to the encroachment department for giving licences to handcarts and stalls that sell food items without licence.

The PMC gives permission to eateries under the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act and Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation (BPMC) Act. The administration has issued licences to 8,193 eateries under the PFA Act and 3,495 under the BPMC Act. “There has been a steep rise in the number of eateries operating without the permission of the PMC.

A survey has revealed that 7,985 eateries out of 15,842 operate without licence. The selling of food in open at these handcarts and stalls is a big concern,” said civic health chief R R Pardeshi.

The anti-encrochment department has given licence to 1,372 eateries, including 895 handcarts and 477 stalls, in the city, he said. “The civic chief has directed the health department to serve notice to anti-encroachment department for issuing licence to those selling food items in open,” said Pardeshi.

The civic health chief brought to the notice of municipal commissioner that the action taken jointly by the health department and anti-encroachment department was turning out to be ineffective as the handcarts and stalls again start their business after giving fine.

Under the PFA Act, handcarts cannot sell food items. “If the action initiated has to be made effective then the licences issued by the anti-encroachment department should be checked and accordingly cancelled which will make the business on handcarts illegal and action can be taken against them,” said Pardeshi. 

However, the anti-encroachment department has shrugged off the blame of being responsible for giving permission to those selling food items in open. “The anti-encroachment department has not issued any licence since 1989. It was wrong to put the blame on the department as it is the responsibility of health department to check on illegal selling of food items,” said Ramesh Shelar, head of anti-encroachment department.

“We will respond to the notice as it is not the duty of our department to keep a check on illegal sale of food items. The health department should reveal the number of cases it has filed against those selling food items in open instead of blaming the anti-encroachment department for it,” Shelar said.

The health department has never communicated to the anti-encroachment department on the issue, he said, adding that they will stop renewing the licenc if the health department brings that to their notice.