Kolkata Police to act tough against use of coal or wood ovens by roadside eateries

Kolkata: Acting on the prolonged call of the environmental activists in the city, the Kolkata Police have decided to act tough against the use of highly-polluting coal or wood ovens by roadside eateries, here.

City police headquarters have instructed all traffic guards in the city to prepare a list of such roadside eateries in the areas under their jurisdiction.

The traffic guards will send it to the city police headquarters, which in turn, will finally compile the individual reports sent by the traffic guards and send the final report to the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

As per estimates, in Kolkata, there are 10,000 street food vendors and since majority of them use coal or wood ovens, the extent of pollutants gas emitted from is well- imaginable.

About ten years back, a process was started regarding distribution of electric ovens to the owners of the street food vendors. The process started with Salt Lake on the northern outskirts of Kolkata.

Currently, only around 750 street food vendors are operating with electric ovens and that too restricted mainly in the Salt Lake areas, while the others are operating with coal and wood ovens and some with kerosene-gas.

Environmental activists said that the city police should not stop just at preparing and filing the report to NGT and rather act against the "highly-pollutant" ovens at public places.

At the same time, the activists feel, the police should also start a sustained awareness campaign drive on the issue, while the state government should mull the idea of some financial assistance schemes to help the vendors in replacing the coal or wood ovens with electric ovens.