Delhi: Hauz Khas eateries fined for green, noise pollution

A report dated December 7 said that 23 units were inspected by the teams and 11 were found to be non-compliant with environmental laws.

The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and civic authorities have found a series of violations related to noise pollution and environmental norms at south Delhi’s popular party hub — Hauz Khas Village — during a series of joint inspections, DPCC said in a report submitted to the National Green Tribunal.

Three restaurant-cum-bars were found operating without the necessary Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) health trade license (HT Photo)

The report dated December 7 said that 23 units were inspected by the teams and 11 were found to be non-compliant with environmental laws. Three restaurant-cum-bars were found operating without the necessary Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) health trade license, four were found violating environmental norms under Air and Water Acts while environmental damage compensation (EDC) was imposed on ten units for violation of noise norms. three.

The matter was taken up by NGT in April this year based on complaints against restaurants/bars and cafes which have been organising live music events on rooftops with loudspeakers and sound equipment.

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The report signed by Ajeeta Dayal Agrawal, senior environment engineer, said that a joint team of MCD officials, sub-divisional magistrate (Hauz Khas) and DPCC carried out the inspections from October 6 to 28 during which 12 units were found to be adhering to norms.

The maximum level of noise allowed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in residential areas between 6am and 10pm is 55dB(A). This threshold falls to 45dB(A) from 10pm to 6am.

DB(A), or a weighted decibel, is a measure of how loud something sounds to the human ear. For loudspeakers, the rules mandate that the noise level at the boundary of the public place where a loudspeaker or public address system is being used should not exceed by more than 10dB(A) the noise standards for the area or 75dB(A), whichever is lower. But these rules have little footing on the ground, with lax imposition, reluctant authorities and a general disregard for guidelines.

The report said that out of the 11 non-compliant cafes and bars, the SDM (Hauz Khas) issued spot challans against 10 according to the noise rules and imposed a fine of ₹10,000 each for using DJ sound systems beyond permissible time.

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The teams also wrote to the MCD commissioner Gyanesh Bharti to take action against three units that were found operating without an MCD license. “In four cases, show cause notices were issued for payment of environment damage charges ₹7,50,000 each,” the report added.

South Delhi’s Hauz Khas Village is a popular hangout space dotted with several eateries, restaurants, bars and cafes which have mushroomed on the main street. The village also hosts a range of art galleries, fashion boutiques, and nightlife spots making it a vibrant neighbourhood in Delhi. One of the key urban villages in Delhi, the area was revival in the 1970s and 80s and it now exists as a blend of residential and commercial spaces.

Atul Goyal, who heads United Resdidents Welfare Association Joint Action — a collective body of RWAs — said quality of life has been affected by rampant commercialisation in residential areas. “It is not only Hauz Khas, we have similar problems on Pusa road, Rajouri Garden and other places. Permitting bigger establishments such as banquet halls inside the residential pockets under the Master Plan of Delhi’s mixed land use regulations was a faulty decision,” he said.