The Chennai Corporation will stop renewing trade licences for commercial establishments that have illegally linked sewage to stormwater drains.
The civic body will start renewing trade licences from February 1, and complete the process by the end of March. The existing licences issued to commercial establishments, under Sections 279, 287, 288, 299(1), 304 and 309 of the CCMC Act, will expire on March 31.
Over 20,000 commercial establishments are estimated to have illegally let sewage into stormwater drains along 471 bus routes and 33,000 interior roads in the 15 zones of the city.
This year, the civic body had warned of disciplinary proceedings against officials who failed to adhere to new instructions, pertaining to renewal of trade licences.
“Thorough checks will be undertaken and if shops have connected sewage to stormwater drains, trade licences will not be renewed,” said an official.
Former Corporation Council floor leader V. Sukumar Babu said illegal sewage connections to drains had affected public health.
Corporation officials will also ask commercial establishments to provide ramps, as per guidelines of the National Building Code of India, 2005, to help elderly persons and those with disabilities.
All commercial establishments should install CCTV cameras to get trade licences renewed this year. “Trade licences will not be renewed for shops that have encroached upon the footpaths,” said an official.
The new procedure for issuance of trade licences includes the integration of property tax assessment number and the profession tax assessment number with the licence certificate. Zonal health officials will record objections and report cases unfit for issuance of trade licences.
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