Pizza, tandoori restaurants, other food outlets have been brought under the scanner of the Puducherry Municipality for encroaching public path, pavement, platforms in a reckless manner.
Throwing all laws into wind, tandoori restaurants run their business by encroaching the platform on Mission Street. They add colours and preservatives to chicken and hang the food substance in an awkward way which makes the passers-by to abhor.
Tandoori stoves are put up on the pavement. As they run for a long time they are scalding hot. It is dangerous for pedestrians and motorists who cross that side. But the outlets care little about their safety. Another snack outlet fries chips and makes snacks using a boiling cauldron kept on the encroached space on the platform. Only a few have been stated here and there are many more which put the public into inconvenience.
A top official in the Puducherry Municipality told The Hindu , “Over 70 such food outlets were issued notices to clear the encroachment within 15 days. If they fail to obey the orders, eviction process will commence shortly.”
The shop owners and building owners where food outlets are located were directed to explain as to why penal action should not be initiated against them for creating nuisance to the public and obstructing the pathway.
“No has any right to run their business by putting a few tables and chairs on platforms. We are determined to take action against the person who violates the law whoever it may be,” said the official.
The officials warned a pasta bar which has planted a sapling and placed flower pots on the platform obstructing the pathway. A sandwich outlet and a café have put up ramps and modified the platform according to their needs.
In addition to these problems biryani vendors throw food waste on streets which attracts several community dogs to roam around their shops. This causes nuisance to the public.
The municipal officials had launched similar drive against the food outlets on Anna Salai, Jawaharlal Nehru Street, Mahatma Gandhi Road and other arterial places in the city. They found that unauthorised mess was run by famous textile show rooms.
No trade licence
Coming to know of that several shops and commercial establishments are not having valid trade licences, the municipal authorities have embarked on door-to-door verification drive at the Jawaharlal Nehru Street, Mahatma Gandhi Street, Mission Street and other areas of the city.
An official shared, “We were shocked to know a textile show room that has been running the business without any valid license for several years.”
