‘My movie, my food’ campaign finally pays off

SURAT: ‘My movie, my food’ campaign by citizens against the restrictions imposed by multiplexes on bringing outside food and water to the theatres has finally paid off.
After Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) served a notice to Cinepolis Multiplex located in Adajan asking it to remove food counters and stalls inside the lobby on the third floor last month, four other restaurants and food courts inside multiplexes in various parts of the city, too, have been forced to shut down and that eight restaurants in four multiplexes and theatres served notices.

TOI was first to highlight about the campaign in its article dated April 7, 2018. The campaign has been started by Society For Citizen Centric Governance (SCCG) to spread awareness among moviegoers to carry their own food and water bottles inside the theatres after multiplex owners began illegally to prevent people from carrying outside food so that they could earn big profits from their own restaurants.

Bombay High Court had recently directed Maharashtra Government to seek suggestions from multiplexes’ associations, and take a stand on permitting people to carry their own food items inside the theatres. A bench of Justice R M Borde and Justice Rajesh Ketkar had directed the state home department to also consider the suggestions submitted by the petitioners.
A resident of Mumbai, Jainendra Baxi, had filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Bombay High Court claiming there was no legal provision prohibiting one from carrying personal food articles or water inside theatres.
Advocate Arpit Shukla, who is leading ‘my movie, my food’ campaign in the Diamond City, told TOI: “The multiplexes have a monopoly when it comes to selling food, water and snacks inside the theatres. You can’t bring outside food in the theatres and are forced to shell out hefty charges on water bottles, snacks and food items. This despite the fact that there is no statutory provision prohibiting one from carrying personal food items to the theatres. We demand that the civic body ensure that all the restaurants and food courts in the multiplexes and theatres be shut permanently.”
Rajesh Modi, another volunteer leading the campaign, said, “A commendable job has been done by the civic body.”
by via Surat News, Latest Surat News Headlines & Live Updates - Times of India