Crackdown on unregistered hotels in McLeodganj

Lalit Mohan

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Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, September 16

The Tourism Department has issued notice to 11 unregistered hotels in McLeodganj.

The hotels have been issued notice as they have not been able to submit the no objection certificates (NOC) from the local Municipal Council and Town and Country Planning Department to authenticate their buildings were legal.

While talking to The Tribune, district tourism officer Prabhat Chaudhary said that in case these hotels do not come up with their documents within the stipulated time period the department will pass orders to sever the electricity and power connections to the hotels.

As per the law, all hotels and restaurants operating in the state have to get registered with the Tourism Department after paying a nominal fee of about Rs 1,000. After authenticating that the hotel has been constructed as per the approved plans of Town and Country Planning Department and inspecting the infrastructure the department fixes the hotel room tariff.

In case any hotel is not registered with the Tourism Department, the authorities initially issue a notice. The offense can be compounded on first notice after a penalty of Rs 10,000. However, in case the hotel owner again fails to rectify the anomalies pointed out in the notice, a penalty ranging from Rs 200 to Rs 2,000 per day can be imposed on hotel owners. After that the department can order disconnection of power and water connections to the unregistered hotels and restaurants.

In the recent past, the Tourism Department issued orders to disconnect power and water connections of two illegal hotels in McLeodganj. However, the orders are yet to be executed.

The district tourism officer said that they had written to the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board authorities and the IPH Department to disconnect power and water connections of the illegal hotels. However, they have failed to execute the orders. Now the onus of letting illegal hotels operate lies on them, he said.

A large number of unregistered hotels are operating in McLeodganj.

As per the list available with the Tourism Department, there were 53 registered hotels in McLeodganj area. However, at present about 300 hotels and guest houses are operating in McLeodganj area.

Sources say that the number of unregistered hotels is high as people have altered their buildings to add more rooms and have also covered the parking areas.

This has made their buildings illegal.

The green cover comprising precious and old deodar trees in McLeodganj has been felled indiscriminately over the past few years to raise illegal hotels and guest houses.