SHRA wants poultry ban lifted, Health License Fee scaled down

GANGTOK, 24 Sept: Sikkim Hotels & Restaurant Association [SHRA] has complained that the even though the hospitality and tourism sector provide the second largest scale of employment [after the State Government], the government “has not done enough to help the sector to greater heights and reduce dependence in seeking government jobs”. To underline this contention, the SHRA president, Bhanu Pratap Rasaily, in a press statement issued today, has highlighted the continuing ban on the entry of poultry and poultry products into Sikkim and the substantial hike, which SHRA sees as “unjustified”, in the Health License fee as instances which were hurting the hospitality sector in Sikkim.

While clarifying that the organisation welcomes the mission to make Sikkim self sufficient in the poultry sector, Mr. Rasaily conveys the SHRA’s befuddlement with the situation as “we fail to understand why the hospitality industry and also normal people have to bear with skyrocketing and hugely inflated prices of simple and essential  proteins like egg and chicken”.
“The policy of the government to promote self sufficiency without being able to fulfill total demand is only encouraging black marketing and monopoly to a select few who cannot match the demand and thereby making the hospitality industry and the common man pay huge inflated prices for simple and basic commodities like chicken and eggs. We see the same every time we cross the Rangpo border out of Sikkim!” the release alleges further.
The organisation has also protested the recent hike in Health License fee, reportedly from Rs. 100 till last year to Rs. 2,000 and higher now.
“While a substantial increase should have been welcomed, such a huge increase is not justifiable and only increases the burden on the hospitality industry and also trades!” the release conveys.
The SHRA has also accused the Health Department of trying to mislead the organisation in this regard by suggesting that the hike was because of Central Government decision under the new Food Safety and Standard Rules, 2011. However, on enquiry of the same, we have learnt that there is no clause for such increase of renewal fees and the increase is solely a departmental prerogative, the release reveals.
In conclusion, SHRA, while informing that advance books for the upcoming tourist season barely a fortnight away were promising, has requested the government to “take steps to control the sky rocketing prices of basic poultry and eggs and also to raise license fees in a more justifiable manner”.