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Roadside cooking ban an eyewash

Following a contempt plea filed by NGO Citispace, the apex court on May 11 directed the civic administration to ban roadside cooking.

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Sandeep Ashar
The ban on roadside cooking imposed jointly by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the police from June 1 following directives from the apex court is turning out to be an eyewash. True to their reputation, the two agencies have been unsuccessful in ensuring zero-tolerance on roadside cooking in the three wards of Pydhonie (C ward), Matunga (F - North) and Bandra (H - West).

Following a contempt petition filed by Non-government Organisation Citispace, which stated that cooking by the roadside continued despite the court’s ban in 2003, the apex court on May 11 directed the civic body to completely ban roadside cooking by hawkers in these three wards. It further directed the Assistant Commissioner’s of Police (ACPs) to submit a compliance report in August.

However, twelve days into the drive, the civic and the police arsenal is struggling to keep resurfacing hawkers at bay. Sharad Bansal, Citispace volunteer for C ward said, “The drive has been sporadic to say the least. Roadside cooking continues at many places in the ward like Bhuleshwar, Kalbadevi, Dadisheth Agiary Lane, Vitthalwadi, Mangaldas Road.”

He added, “At many places, authorities were forewarning hawkers of the drive. The offenders move their wares to a safe haven nearby when the BMC van arrives and restore it once it is out of sight.”

The situation was no different in Matunga and Bandra. In fact, the road outside Bandra Station to the west, is abounded by hawkers cooking and serving kababs.

Deputy Municipal Commissioner Dr SS Kudalkar admitted of there being regions in these wards were the drive was faltering, owing to resurfacing offenders. “A drive like this requires meticulous planning. Our men were not maintaining day-to-day records of repeat offenders, making it difficult to book them,” he said.

Reasoning that lack of manpower was a major blockade, Citispace activist Shyama Kulkarni said, “I do not see the drive being thoroughly implemented until the BMC deputes more men and vehicles for the job.”

Kudalkar said, “We have asked them to maintain records and videotape offenders for evidence. Also, hawkers are being aggressively counselled on how not following the court’s guidelines could hurt their interests.”

Bansal and Kulkarni have taken photographs of roadside cooking after the initiation of the drive. “We will meet the ACPs of the three wards and urge for better compliance. If that does not meet the cause, we will present the pictures to the Supreme Court,” Bansal said. Kudalkar claimed that guarding an area for 24 hours was humanly impossible.

SC ruling
Following a contempt plea filed by NGO Citispace, the apex court on May 11 directed the civic administration to ban roadside cooking.

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