Two 5-star hotels given more time for compliance of pollution

New Delhi: Two of the capital's leading five-star hotels, The Imperial and Eros, which had been issued notices for closure of their kitchen and restaurants for alleged non-compliance of pollution control norms, claimed that the authorities have given them more time for compliance. The two hotels had been issued notices by Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) of the Delhi Government's Environment department for failure to install sewage treatment plants and for not taking other eco-friendly measures.

Eros had been told to close down while Imperial was directed to close its kitchen and restaurants. Vijay Wanchoo, Senior Executive Vice President and General Manager of The Imperial said in an email that the issue concerning environmental norms had always been dealt with on a war footing but for the delay in installation of a sewage treatment plant due to non-availability of passage into the hotel because of metro construction work.

Wanchoo said the DPCC had considered that and "has granted the necessary extensions and has also issued a letter of revocation to the concerned government authorities." Eros said in a statement that the hotel had proposed a "firm action plan" to implement eco-friendly initiatives in its premises and "there has been no apparent violation of DPCC policy as of now". No closure order was "in" on date, it said. Another source in Eros claimed that the DPCC had given it time to comply with pollution norms. Only these two of the 32 5-star hotels in the capital had been issued notices by DPCC. No notice was issued to Shangrila hotel which was in compliance of environmental rules.