"Every day is like this, with smoke and fire, it has been more than two years, I can't stand it anymore." Subsequently, the reporter contacted the Shuanggang Industrial and Commercial Office of the Luyang District Administration for Industry and Commerce. The staff of the office told the reporter that only after the operator provides environmental protection procedures, a fire permit, and a health permit can the office issue a business license. Currently, Mr. Wang has reported the situation of unlicensed small restaurants under the residential buildings in this community to the Shuanggang Industrial and Commercial Office, which has also accepted this case.
For more than two years, every day there was smoke and fire under the residents' building
"Every day is like this, with smoke and fire, it has been more than two years, I can't stand it anymore." Recently, after receiving feedback from readers, the reporter went to Building No. 1 of a high-end neighborhood on Heva Road. At the entrance of the residential building behind a row of small restaurants, Mr. Wang, the owner, complained to the reporter. Every time the restaurant opens, he has to keep his windows and doors tightly closed.
The first and second floors of Building No. 1 and No. 2 in this neighborhood are storefronts near Heva Road. There are seven or eight small restaurants along the hundred-meter road. Standing on the balcony of the third floor, the reporter saw clouds of cooking fumes being discharged from the chimneys and exhaust fans of the restaurants downstairs. Facing the reporter was an overwhelming smell of smoke. Looking down at the first floor, the exhaust gas emitted by the kitchen exhaust fans of the restaurants had already discolored the walls of the first floor. The oil dripping from the exhaust fans had made the drainage pipes not far from the stairwell full of dirt. When the wind blew, there was an occasional stench.
In the face of clear prohibitions, new restaurants continue to open
It was understood that in March, the Hefei Environmental Protection Bureau issued the "Hefei Service Industry Environmental Protection Management Measures". The measures stipulate that in the future, residential buildings, commercial-residential comprehensive buildings adjacent to residential floors, and primary and secondary protected areas of drinking water sources shall not have hotels, guesthouses, catering, entertainment, bathing, motor vehicle maintenance and cleaning, hardware repair and processing, etc., which directly or indirectly discharge pollutants into the surrounding environment. Otherwise, illegal gains will be confiscated, and fines of less than 20,000 yuan will be imposed; new, renovated, or expanded service industry projects must go through the approval procedures for environmental impact assessment documents of construction projects, and their supporting pollution prevention facilities should pass the acceptance inspection by the municipal environmental protection bureau before they can be put into operation or use. The industrial and commercial administrative department shall not issue business licenses.
"We also know about this management method issued by the Environmental Protection Bureau, it was reported in the newspaper, but why are there still new restaurants being decorated now?" Upstairs residents told the reporter that apart from the original seven or eight restaurants, there were new restaurants being decorated around the clock downstairs.
Why can unlicensed small restaurants downstairs obtain licenses
Do "Hongren Guan", "Wangguai Gang Restaurant", "Hongli Xiaochu", "Ding Pang Ban Guo", "Old Hefei Restaurant", and the under-construction "Jiuwan Shiba Pen" these small restaurants under the residential buildings pass relevant environmental protection and industrial and commercial approvals and obtain relevant licenses?
The reporter interviewed relevant departments with this question. A staff member of the Luyang District Environmental Protection Bureau told the reporter that according to relevant laws, environmental protection approval is a prerequisite for restaurants to obtain industrial and commercial business licenses. The environmental protection department will only conduct environmental impact assessments for applicants who want to open restaurants in commercial-residential integrated buildings. However, for those who apply to open restaurants in residential buildings, environmental protection procedures will not be processed. That is to say, this type of restaurant should not be able to obtain an industrial and commercial business license.
"Our current situation is quite awkward," said Director Ma of the Luyang District Environmental Protection Bureau to the reporter. Some restaurants on Heva Road were already in operation before March 1, 2009, but these restaurants did not meet the relevant environmental protection standards. Since the law does not grant the environmental protection department the power to impose penalties, the environmental protection department can only suggest that residents report those restaurants that cannot pass environmental protection approval to the industrial and commercial department. "If we penalize them, it would be tantamount to recognizing their legal operating status. All we can do now is to urge those restaurants that have not passed environmental protection approval to make rectifications, install grease purification devices, specify the direction of chimney emissions, and take some noise reduction and vibration reduction measures." Director Ma said helplessly. However, the reporter learned from the environmental protection department that the government will issue relevant documents starting January 1 next year. It is said that all unlicensed and unregistered service industries will be uniformly managed by the urban management department.
Subsequently, the reporter also contacted the Shuanggang Industrial and Commercial Office of the Luyang District Administration for Industry and Commerce. The staff of the office told the reporter that only after the operator provides environmental protection procedures, a fire permit, and a health permit can the office issue a business license. For restaurants without business licenses, residents can report to the local industrial and commercial office. After verification, the industrial and commercial department can legally shut down the restaurants according to the provisions of the State Council's "Regulations on the Investigation and Abolition of Unlicensed Operations." However, the staff also stated that since the storefronts in residential buildings have high mobility, the work is relatively difficult. The management of restaurants within residential areas has always been a tough problem, mainly because the management of the catering industry involves many departments, and the situation is relatively complex. It requires comprehensive management by multiple departments such as environmental protection, health, and industry and commerce.
Currently, Mr. Wang has reported the situation of unlicensed small restaurants under the residential buildings in this community to the Shuanggang Industrial and Commercial Office, which has also accepted this case.