HYDERABAD: Doctors and healthcare professionals have raised strong objections to a proposal under discussion in the GHMC that seeks to transfer the authority of issuing trade licences from qualified health officers to bill collectors and assistant municipal commissioners. They warn that the move could have serious consequences for public health and sanitation.
One of the key concerns is that licences could be issued without mandatory health inspections. “Shops, hotels, godowns, eateries and other commercial establishments require thorough inspections for sanitation, drainage, water quality and hygiene. These fall under the purview of health officers,” said Dr Srinivas Gundagani, vice chairman, Telangana Medical Council. “If licences are issued without these checks, we risk outbreaks of dengue, typhoid, food poisoning and other communicable diseases.”
Medical professionals point out that even the National Green Tribunal (NGT) mandates strict compliance with health and environmental norms before permitting hazardous trades. The GHMC Act, 1955 (Section 112(8)) lists regulation of dangerous trades as a mandatory duty of the Corporation. By-Law 21 (1973) further stipulates that health officers must verify the number of toilets, urinals and other sanitary facilities before granting a licence.
Delegating licensing powers to municipal officers, the doctors say, would be a violation of these statutory provisions and could also breach the Environment Protection Act (EPA). “Licensing involves expert understanding of public health. If something goes wrong, those without medical knowledge will simply claim ignorance,” said Dr Dwarakanath Reddy, President, Indian Medical Association, Telangana.
The proposal, they argue, also raises concerns of corruption. “Without professional scrutiny, licences may be granted in exchange for bribes or under benami arrangements. This not only damages the image of the GHMC but also discourages honest traders,” Dr Reddy added.
Health experts stressed that the role of Assistant Municipal Commissioners is to regularise unauthorised commercial activity in residential zones—not to assess health standards for licensing. “All trade licensing must be rooted in health and safety norms, not administrative convenience. This is not a clerical task—it is a public health safeguard and a long-term investment in the city’s wellbeing,” Dr Reddy said.
