Pune Newsline: Pune: Wednesday, June 13, 2012.
Of the 614 hotel licences issued by the district administration in 14 taluks in the last five years, only 33 have been cancelled, reveals the response to an RTI query filed by The Indian Express. The reasons for cancellation of these licences, as cited by the administration, are land disputes, encroachment on public space, lack of documents and non-renewal of licences.
This assumes significance given that throughout the district, eateries are mushrooming and one does not need a trained eye to realise that many are flouting norms in more ways than one.
Hotel licences are issued after verifying non-agricultural permission, health department and police department permissions, commercial and gram panchayat permissions and the lease agreement if the eatery is operating out of a rented property.
The number of licences issued is the highest in Khed taluka with 123, followed by Baramati with 98, Indapur 88 and Haveli 85.
The maximum number of hotel licences 24 were cancelled in Bhor taluk. In Khed, seven licences were cancelled and two in Ambegaon taluka, the RTI reply revealed.
Officials said licences are cancelled only in cases of gross violation. “We cancel licences if the property is disputed or any other activity, which is in violation of norms, is being carried out. According to the norms, eateries are supposed to renew their licences every year. If there is a delay, then a fine of Rs 500 every month is collected. In these cases, licences are suspended, not cancelled immediately,’’ officials said.
Issuing licences to eateries has been a problem for the district administration.
“Our teams have been conducting random checks and closing down eateries found violating norms,” officials said.
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