Gurugram district administration has banned the use of coal and wood-fired tandoors at hotels, restaurants and open eateries, citing worsening air pollution. The order, issued under the revised Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), takes immediate effect and requires food establishments to shift to electricity, gas or other approved clean fuels.
District Magistrate and Deputy Commissioner Uttam Singh issued the directive and instructed officials from the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram, the Municipal Corporation of Manesar and the Haryana State Pollution Control Board to enforce it. Establishments using coal or wood for cooking will face action under the applicable rules.
The order covers hotels, restaurants and other food establishments operating in Gurugram. Operators have been told to stop using the prohibited fuels completely and ensure that their cooking equipment runs only on approved clean fuels. The administration has not specified a separate transition period in the order described by Navbharat Times.
Officials have also been directed to conduct regular inspections of hotels, restaurants and other food outlets. Every inspection will have to record whether the rules were followed, whether a violation was found and what action was taken against the establishment.
The enforcement agencies have been asked to submit daily reports on inspections and violations. This reporting requirement places the municipal corporations and the state pollution control board at the centre of implementation, rather than leaving compliance checks solely to individual businesses.
The restriction forms part of the air-pollution response framework issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). GRAP provides for progressively stricter measures when air quality deteriorates across the National Capital Region. The Gurugram administration has linked the local order specifically to the revised GRAP provisions.
For restaurants and open eateries, the directive changes the fuel source used in traditional tandoor cooking. Businesses will now need to use electric, gas-based or other approved clean-fuel equipment for food preparation. The order does not state whether financial assistance, equipment subsidies or a formal conversion programme will be offered to affected establishments.
The administration has appealed to residents and food-business operators to cooperate with efforts to reduce air pollution. It has reiterated that operators must ensure complete discontinuation of coal and wood use and comply with inspections by the designated authorities.
Further enforcement will depend on the daily inspections and reports ordered by the district administration. The municipal corporations of Gurugram and Manesar and the Haryana State Pollution Control Board are responsible for monitoring compliance and reporting action taken against violations.
