We Will Go Bankrupt If Tandoor Ban Is Enforced

The BMC's ban on charcoal tandoors is set to impact around 1,000 businesses from Colaba to Dahisar

- Linah Baliga

MUMBAI: A blanket ban by the BMC on the use of charcoal tandoors in restaurants and hotels has put the livelihood of thousands of charcoal merchants in jeopardy. This move is set to impact around 1,000 businesses from Colaba to Dahisar and leave thousands of people jobless, especially as the 200 godowns operating from the British-era Sewri coal depot may be forced to shut down.

July 8 is the deadline given by the BMC to all restaurants, eateries and dhabas to switch to electrical appliances and green fuels. However, Mumbai's charcoal merchants are of the opinion that the BMC's decision stems from a vague notification that equates the air pollution guidelines for bakeries using wood with restaurants using charcoal tandoors, without any scientific evidence to back the claim that charcoal tandoors are a significant source of pollution.

HT was the first to report on February 12 that the BMC's G South ward had issued notices to over 80 restaurants from February 10 onwards for not complying with their air pollution notification and switching from charcoal tandoors to green fuels.