Bakeries, dhabas and tandoor hotels to face legal action in Pune for not shifting to green fuel usage

Meanwhile, the Pune Municipal Corporation is struggling to determine the exact number of bakeries and eateries in the city, as most operate illegally.

2 min readUpdated: Feb 3, 2026 10:02 PM IST

Sonune said the action would involve issuing a notice, followed by sealing the premises, adding that PMC had given sufficient time for the eateries to shift to green fuels. (File photo)

Citing the directions of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) to ban the use of wood or charcoal for cooking or baking, the Pune civic body Monday warned of legal action against bakeries, hotels, restaurants, food stalls, dhabas, and tandoor hotels for not shifting to green fuels.

On February 13, 2024, MPCB issued guidelines directing a shift, within a year, to using green fuel instead of wood or charcoal for cooking or baking, to reduce air pollution from smoke generated by traditional fuels.

“The MPCB deadline to shift to green fuel from wood or charcoal use for cooking and baking is over. Thus, all bakeries, hotels, restaurants, food stalls, dhabas, and tandoor hotels should shift to using green fuels such as LPG, PNG, or electricity. The civic administration will start surprise inspection and those found violating the MPCB guidelines will have to face legal action,” said Prithviraj B P, Additional Municipal Commissioner, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).

Ganesh Sonune, Environment Officer, PMC, said, “All the 15 ward offices have been asked to keep a watch on bakeries, hotels, restaurants, food stalls, dhabas, and tandoor hotels through inspection at regular intervals. Action should be taken against all those still using wood or charcoal.”

Sonune said the action would involve issuing a notice, followed by sealing the premises, adding that PMC had given sufficient time for the eateries to shift to green fuels.

“It has been observed that the bakeries, hotels, restaurants, food stalls, dhabas, and tandoor hotels are not taking MPCB guidelines seriously, and not shifting completely to green fuel,” Sonune said.

Meanwhile, PMC is struggling to determine the exact number of bakeries and eateries in the city, as most operate illegally.

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“It has been a year since PMC has been trying to find the exact number of bakeries operational in the civic jurisdiction. We have received information from the Bakery Association that 750 registered bakeries are operational in the city, and 250 are in the city’s suburbs. However, their addresses are not known,” said another civic officer.

Ajay Jadhav

Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, Pune. With over 22 years of experience in the industry, he is a highly specialized journalist whose work focuses on the intersection of urban infrastructure, governance, and sustainability. Professional Background Role: As Assistant Editor, he plays a key role in the editorial direction of the Pune bureau, specializing in urban policy and its direct impact on citizens. Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a PG Diploma in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). He also studied at the prestigious Fergusson College. Impactful Reporting: He is credited with research-based articles on conservancy staff (waste workers) that influenced national policy for better working conditions. He is also known for exposing the contrast between high-end infrastructure (like helipads for leaders) and the lack of basic amenities like schools in their home districts. Personal Interests: An avid trekker and sports enthusiast, his personal interest in the outdoors often informs his reporting on environmental protection and sustainable development. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) His reporting in late 2025 has been dominated by the upcoming January 2026 Civic Polls in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, and the city's infrastructure boom: 1. Political Analysis (Civic Elections 2026) "Not friendly but a bitter fight lies ahead between BJP and NCP for PMC, PCMC" (Dec 22, 2025): A detailed look at the intense rivalry between the Mahayuti partners as they prepare for the January 15 municipal elections. "Pune civic polls: Big blow to NCP, NCP(SP) as leaders switch to BJP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on high-profile poaching and party-hopping ahead of the elections. "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): Analyzing the results of the local self-government body elections as a precursor to the main civic polls. 2. Infrastructure & Urban Development "Looking Ahead at 2026: Pune to see inauguration of much-awaited Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar metro route" (Dec 22, 2025): An "outlook" piece on the critical Metro Line 3 project expected to finish by March 2026. "Building Pune: PMC to construct double-decker bridge over Mula-Mutha River" (Dec 18, 2025): Detailing a major project aimed at easing traffic between Hadapsar and Kharadi. "Condition of highway from Pune to Kolhapur to improve in a year: Gadkari" (Dec 4, 2025): Reporting on the Union Minister’s assurances regarding one of the state's most critical transport corridors. 3. Civic Governance & Environment "Install sensors, LED indicators at construction sites within 15 days: PMC to builders" (Dec 16, 2025): A follow-up to the "Breathless Pune" series, reporting on new mandates for builders to monitor air quality in real-time. "Errors in electoral rolls: PMC corrects data of 92,466 voters" (Dec 16, 2025): Tracking the administrative efforts to clean up the voter lists before the 2026 elections. Signature Style Ajay Jadhav is known for accountability journalism. His work often bridges the gap between high-level policy and the "ground zero" reality of Pune's residents. He is particularly focused on Sustainable Development, ensuring that as Pune grows into a "Bharat Mandapam" style destination (referring to his report on the Lohegaon project), its environmental and social safeguards remain intact. X (Twitter): @ajay_khape ... Read More

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