75 Ghatkopar eateries get BMC notices, some prosecuted

In the last one month, 75 food establishments in Ghatkopar’s N ward, among them restaurants and takeaways, have been issued notices by the BMC’s medical officer of health (MOH). Some restaurants have even been prosecuted for not updating their fire compliance certificate

Mumbai: In the last one month, 75 food establishments in Ghatkopar’s N ward, among them restaurants and takeaways, have been issued notices by the BMC’s medical officer of health (MOH). Some restaurants have even been prosecuted for not updating their fire compliance certificate.

Mumbai, India - December 19, 2022: A roadside view of Balaji Restaurant, at Gharkopar (East), in Mumbai, India, on Monday, December 19, 2022. (Praful Gangurde/HT Photo) (Hindustan Times)

The notices, served under Section 394 of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, are not related to just fire safety violations but include other health department violations such as conducting a food business without procuring a license, operating from an illegal structure or omitting safety and medical check-ups, including hygiene, of the staff as per health guidelines.

Dr Mahendra Khandade, MOH in N ward, told HT, “We have prosecuted a few food establishments like Kunal Bar And Restaurant at LBS Road, Ghatkopar West, and Rohini Restaurant And Bar, Hotel Thambi and Shobha Cold Drinks in Ghatkopar East. These food establishments had health licences but they had not renewed their fire compliance certification. Balaji Hotel and three restaurants in R City mall such as Punjabi Tadka were served notices for other reasons such as using more space than the permissible area.”

Dr Khandade said that many restaurants routinely failed to renew their fire safety certification. “Accordingly, there are court cases against them and they have to pay a fine,” he said. “In the last three years, no new food establishment has been permitted without a fire compliance certificate. But many of the older establishments—over 15 years old—have not updated their fire NOCs, and accordingly we submit an inspection report and prosecute them.”

The BMC’s health department officials told HT that the problem was not with restaurants’ non-compliance but a glitch in the current system—the Ease of Doing Business policy of 2016 that allows restaurants and food establishments to directly pay the fees online and renew their licenses.

“Because of this, we have neither control nor data on which food establishments have the requisite fire NOC,” said an officer from the MOH department. “Earlier, before the Ease of Doing Business policy, the license would get renewed manually only after we physically inspected the site and checked for fire compliance. Now, restaurants just pay their fees and renew their licence easily.”

The system of online renewal was proving to be detrimental, added the officer. “After we conduct an inspection and prosecute the restaurants, they pay a fine of ₹10,000 to ₹20,000 but the main issue of non-compliance with fire safety norms remains unresolved,” he said. “The vital thing is to follow these norms but they pay the fine in court and get away with it.”

The solution, said another officer from the MOH department, was to make the fire NOC updation mandatory online. “Only then should the eating house license be renewed online,” he said.