MCD mooting schemes to implement ban on roadside cooking

New Delhi, Apr 11 (UNI) Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is mulling over various schemes as an alternative to roadside cooking with the Supreme Court imposing a ban on it -- an order that is likely to affect some 200,000 vendors, many of them unlicensed.

On various schemes that the civic body is considering to replace unhygienically cooked roadside food, MCD Press and Information Director Deep Mathur said, '' The issue is still with the SC. We have not thought over any move in particular. Let the hearing get over and we will sit together and discuss.'' The immediate effect of the prohibition could result in the removal of food vendors from no-hawking and no-squatting zones, if the new scheme on urban street vending is something to go by.

It says, ''cooking of any food item shall not be permitted at all, but food properly packed may be sold by those allotted a hawking site.'' And with this scheme and the SC ban, one thing is clear that vendors operating in no-hawking zones will have to bid adieu.

''We have identified certain pockets in Delhi where vendors will be allowed to indulge in hawking and squatting. And for this one should understand the difference between no-hawking and no-squatting zones,'' he said Calling the food cooked along the roads as ''highly unhealthy and unhygienic'', the SC suggested that MCD put up foodcourts in areas earmarked for the same where freshly cooked food can be sold, shattering the myth created by media reports that it intended to change the eating habits of ''adventurous'' Delhiites.

And are the foodcourts a feasible idea? ''It is just an idea put forth by the honourable SC. The court, which has a say in every administrative process, has not ratified any scheme. We have yet to think about it,'' Mr Mathur said in a manner to put all media speculations to rest.

Notably, according to a study undertaken by Irene Tinker of the University of California, food courts attract well-heeled clients and hawkers, in turn, lose their businesses.

'' For implementing any scheme one has to take into account its profitability and marketability. There are many parties -- Traffic police, NGOs, trade organisations -- involved in it'', he goes on to add.

Will those with licences be given priority while shifting them to the hawking zones? ''Obviously. They have the first right'', a clear indication that those operating without the licence are in for a troubled time.

MORE UNI