Increase in operational time limit, extra charge on packaged food, RTI related hassles and clearances for renewal of licences dominated the first-ever meet of hotels and restaurants from Maharashtra, which was held here recently. The meet served as a platform for hotel and restaurant associations from places such as Kolhapur, Pune, Sangli, and Nagpur to air their grievances and voice their concerns.
Indian Hotels and Restaurants Association (AHAR), which had arranged the meet, promised to put the grievances and concerns before the government with the newly-formed National Joint Action Committee (NJAC), a body of 12 food and allied industries associations protesting against FSSAI and its policies, in the forefront.
The meet addressed several issues faced by hoteliers and restaurateurs from the state of Maharashtra. “We need to allow increase in the operational time limit of eateries alongside the highways. There has to be a single window schedule where the licensing can be availed and police clearances can be availed,” opined some of the members of the Kolhapur association during their presentation.
Meanwhile, Sunil Shetty, representative, Ambarnath Hotel Association, in his presentation, pointed out, “We take extra charge on the packaged food that is served in restaurants because we serve our customers. Thus, we can avail extra charges.”
RTI issues
A majority of the members expressed unhappiness over the provisions under Right to Information (RTI) Act. Surendra Rai, head, Badlapur Hotel Association, said, “We have issues with RTI law. We have suffered severely due to this law. Whenever, government authority doesn't have finite proofs to provide it to the RTI applicant, it asks the hotelier to provide the copies of the same,” and questioned, “Why is it that government doesn't maintain records for the same?”
The Badlapur association also suggested that the government should provide, what they have with them in the records, otherwise, it could straight away state that the information was not available.
The associations in the meet were agitative on the issue of RTI.
Sukesh Shetty, general secretary, AHAR, while handling the agitative members from the association, said, “Don't see RTI as a menace as earlier it has helped us to develop a dialogue between you and government.”
Adarsh Shetty, president, AHAR, stressed the point further, “We have to abide by the rules by the government. This is because if we won't go by the rules, we will not be in a position to raise our demands before the government.”
He added, “I request the restaurateurs and hoteliers to sell any of the packed food on its maximum retail price (MRP) to avoid nuisance. This is honourable High Court's verdict that all the packaged foods should be sold on MRP.”
Clearance issues
Sai Prasad Shetty, Hotel Association of Thane, said, “We are facing issues in the licence renewal procedure where it is not so easy to obtain fire, safety, and police clearances for the renewal. I request AHAR to take all our issues forward so that our issues will be addressed.”
Lastly, the AHAR president confirmed that his association would ensure that all the issues faced are taken to NJAC for further referral.
