AAP, BJP lock horns on health trade licences in Delhi

Replying to the allegations, Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said, “We fail to understand the anxiety of the Aam Aadmi Party over MCD-issued health licences for restaurants even as their own government issues half-a-dozen licences to the same restaurants, including excise, and that involves extreme corruption.”

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday alleged the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled municipal corporations of Delhi (MCD) continued to issue and renew health trade licences of restaurants, despite being asked by the centre not to do so, as they are ‘deep in corruption’, a claim the BJP denied.

Last week, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had directed the MCDs to do away with health trade licences.

Durgesh Pathak, AAP’s in-charge of MCD affairs, on Tuesday quoted a letter, purportedly written by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), a statutory body under the Union health ministry, to the commissioners of the three MCDs, directing them to stop issuing health trade licences as that has been taken care of by the central authority.

“It is a direction from the central government. But the BJP-led MCDs are so deep into corruption that they are violating central government guidelines. Health trade licence is a scam that exceeds Rs 350 crore every year. No license is issued or renewed without a bribe. Money is distributed among BJP leaders. That is why the BJP is violating the central guidelines and continues to issue and renew health trade licences to restaurant owners,” Pathak said.

Last week, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had directed the MCDs to do away with health trade licences.

Replying to the allegations, Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said, “We fail to understand the anxiety of the Aam Aadmi Party over MCD-issued health licences for restaurants even as their own government issues half-a-dozen licences to the same restaurants, including excise, and that involves extreme corruption.”

“Health licences are annually issued and for the current year, they were issued much before the September letter of FSSAI. Health licence involves many aspects of public health while the FSSAI letter takes note of just one, that is food quality. Hygiene and seating in restaurants are other aspects covered by health licence and MCDs are examining all angles. They will take a decision on the issue before next renewal due in April 2021.”