Residents complain against iconic 56-year-old Delhi eatery

Residents alleged that Rajinder da Dhaba is causing both noise and air pollution in the area through its gensets and tandoors that both function in the open

One of the Capital’s iconic eateries at Safdarjung Enclave in south Delhi has come under the scanner of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which has directed the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to carry out an inspection of the area. NGT had received a petition by the Safdarjung Enclave AB Block Market Welfare Association alleging that the eatery, Rajinder da Dhaba, is causing both noise and air pollution in the area through its gensets and tandoors that both function in the open.

Rajinder Da Dhaba at Safdarjung Enclave in New Delhi on Monday. The plea was filed by the Onkar Singh, the president of the AB Block Market Welfare Association, against the popular eatery that was established in 1968 as a fish and egg fry stall. (HT Photo)

“In the complaint, which is enclosed along with the application, the issue of noise pollution has been raised. The applicant has submitted that the generator has been kept by the project proponent unauthorisedly and tandoors are being used illegally in the open area,” NGT said in its order, dated May 31, stating despite complaints made by the market to DPCC, no action has been taken so far.

The plea was filed by the Onkar Singh, the president of the AB Block Market Welfare Association, against the popular eatery that was established in 1968 as a fish and egg fry stall.

However, joint CEO of Rajinder da Dhaba Shreyank Dua denied the allegations and said none of the tandoors were coal-based and that gensets were rarely used, as power cuts are uncommon in the market. “Our tandoors are gas-based and the gensets are only used as a power back-up. To manage waste, each of our six shops have two dustbins each, from where the Municipal Corporation of Delhi collects waste every night. If waste is not picked up, then it may appear that garbage bags have piled up, but this is a rare occurrence,” he said.

The bench, headed by NGT chairperson Justice Adarsh Shrivastava, said in its order, “Considering the nature of grievance, which has been raised by the applicant, we are of the opinion that the complaint which is made by the applicant needs to be duly considered by the Chairman, DPCC and requisite action is required to be taken after ascertaining the correct position, giving the parties an opportunity of hearing if any violation is found.” It also directed the DPCC chairman to look into the complaint.

Meanwhile, Singh told HT, “The eatery has been expanding and it has illegally encroached upon a significant chunk of the market. Vegetables are cut in the open and the tandoors and gas stoves operate in the open too. These coal-based tandoors are banned, but are still being used. At the same time, noise and air pollution is coming from gensets,” said Singh, adding that traffic congestion outside the market was another problem due to the eatery.

“We have received complaints from other shopkeepers that the market is dumping food waste in the open. The restaurant staff also bathe in the open and due to the sheer amount of food and waste present there, the number of rodents have also increased in the market significantly,” he added.

The eatery’s website said that it began with three staff members, but now has over 150 that run the dhaba, which specialises in delicacies like chicken curry and galauti kababs.

Pankaj Aggarwal from Safdarjung development area RWA said that the expanding eatery requires attention from the authorities.

“The problem is more to do with the growing traffic around the market, as people park their cars to eat. The amount of waste too has been increasing due to the growing footfall that the eatery attracts. It is important that pollution norms are followed,” said Aggarwal.

Meanwhile, DPCC did not comment when it will carry out an inspection.

In a separate case, NGT also issued notices to DPCC, Central Pollution Control Board and the Union environment ministry, seeking their responses in the form of a detailed report on a new study by IIT-Kanpur, which states incomplete combustion of various fuels was playing a key role in pollution in north India.