In a landmark move, the Vadodara Municipal Corporation has abolished health licences for hotels and restaurants operating in the city. According to a notification issued by the Corporation, Sanitary Health License under G.P.M.C Act was duplication as health and sanitation are already covered under Food & Safety Act 2006. “Central Govt and State Govt has in recent times been emphasising on ‘ease of doing business’ and simplification of regulations to reduce difficulties faced by general public. Considering this matter, with immediate effect, Vadodara Municipal Corporation, Ward Offices, Health Department, has cancelled issuance of Health License under Sec. 376 of G. P. M. C. Act, wherever license under Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006 is required and issued,” states the notification.
Hailing the move as a milestone in the history of corporate India, The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI), the apex body representing hotels and restaurant across the western region of India has commended Vadodara’s new Municipal Commissioner and expressed hope that other cities will follow the precedent.
Bharat Malkani, President, HRAWI said, “For the last nine years we have been petitioning Municipalities across the Western Region for the exclusion of this particular license as it was a repetition and merely added to paper work and red tapism. The association welcomes the decision and appreciates the affirmative and expedited action of HS Patel, Municipal Commissioner, Vadodara.”
As per law, when any Central law is applicable, then the provisions of that law prevail over local laws and any provisions in local laws up to that extent become inapplicable. The Central Govt. has issued notification to this effect under the Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006 and also remarked the same in a circular.
Kamlesh Barot, Past President, HRAWI said, “The hotel industry is one of the most licensed industries in India and is required to obtain and maintain anywhere around 75 to 135 licenses, depending upon the outlet’s layout. Over the past decade and more, it has been solely our Association that has been in liaison with the Government to remove redundant and overlapping condition licenses, where such duplications could have been easily done away with long ago.”
