The recent mishap involving the cooking apparatus at a roadside food stall in the Ramdev Park area of Mira Road has once again put the spotlight on the massive misuse of domestic Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) by hawkers in the twin city. This has posed a serious threat to the lives of pedestrians as well as people who patronize these roadside eateries, even as the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) continues to turn a blind eye to the illegal activities. This despite judicial orders that directed the civic bodies to take action against illegal roadside eateries that cooked in the open by brazenly using gas cylinders, thus compromising with the safety of citizens.
“We have asked the anti-encroachment departments of all the six wards to take action against hawkers and those using gas cylinders sans any safety measures,” said chief fire officer Dr. Prakash Borade.
“We take up eviction drives to get rid of illegal hawkers on a regular basis, but they return immediately after the action,” said a MBMC personnel seeking anonymity.
FPJ Photo
FPJ Photo
Notably, the much-hyped night eviction drives also fizzled out after cosmetic action. The local police conducts once in a blue moon crackdowns and books the hawker under section 285 of the IPC for negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter. Although the cylinders are impounded, the influential gas dealers and their agents who are also the beneficiaries of the trade are seldom questioned for their involvement in encouraging the illegalities, raising a serious question mark on the pick and choose policy and biased approach adopted by the law enforcing agencies. While hundreds of handcarts and food vans cooking and selling food items are seen stationed at key locations across the twin-city, there have been instances when innocent pedestrians have become victims of cylinder explosions.
