Chandigarh: Faced with actions, including prosecution for violations of the Earth, Water and Environment Protection Act on account of the disposal of untreated waste, the dhaba owners on Wednesday called on state environment minister Rao Narbir Singh. Notably, the environment minister gave a patient hearing to the dhaba owners. He, however, maintained that strict compliance with water conservation and pollution control norms was mandatory for dhabas. For the past over a decade, various authorities pressed the dhaba owners for the installation of Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) and Common Treatment Plants (CTP) in all dhabas, as it was mandatory to ensure water conservation and reuse.“The state authorities acted against these eateries in accordance with guidelines, as well as directions issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) from time to time. Besides this, some of the dhabas did not yet get the NOCs from the National Highway Authority or the Town and Country Planning Department,” sources said. According to information, closure orders are issued against dhabas during inspections by the NGT and other relevant institutions, and penalties are calculated based on the period from the date of construction of the dhaba to the date of inspection.Notably, there are over 200 major or small dhabas across the Ambala-Sonipat stretch, Panipat-Rohtak stretch, and Rohtak-New Delhi stretch. The majority of these eateries are running without adequate permissions from the state pollution watchdog, the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB), as well as other agencies involved in the protection of the environment. On Wednesday, dhaba owners from Murthal, led by MLA Devender Kadyan, who himself runs a popular chain of dhabas, called on the minister. During the meeting, the minister made it clear that dhaba operators running their establishments without Change of Land Use (CLU) permission must complete all required documentation related to municipal taxes and other statutory charges.The minister asked dhaba operators to ensure timely compliance with all norms to avoid any action. Even dhabas with approved CLU must strictly follow all norms laid down by the Haryana State Pollution Control Board, failing which action and penalties will be imposed as per rules, he added. Rao Narbir Singh said that the govt does not intend to harm any business. “The objective is to protect the environment, conserve water resources, and ensure that all commercial activities operate in an organised and lawful manner,” the minister said. He directed secretary, Haryana State Pollution Control Board, Yogesh Kumar, to hold discussions with the Board Chairman at the earliest and take necessary steps towards a comprehensive solution. MSID: 127706464 413 |
