A fresh petition seeking the removal of food stalls from the city’s pavements was filed at Calcutta High Court on Wednesday.

Petitioners Matizul Rahman and two others claimed that the food stalls on most of the city pavements were “illegal” and the civic body had no means to check the quality of food sold in them.

“Taking advantage of the drawback, the hawkers are selling adulterated food, responsible for various health hazards,” the petitioners stated.

They rued that the situation is even worse in the Central Business District, especially BBD Bag. The food stalls sell cheap, stale and adulterated food.

“Two years ago, a study was conducted by the civic health department. It revealed that 25 per cent of the people who eat at these stalls suffer from stomach ailments. Till the government rolls out the comprehensive plan to rehabilitate hawkers,the civic body should adopt a plan to check the quality of food sold in the stalls,” the petition said.

The plea is likely to come up for hearing next week.

Another petition on the removal and rehabilitation of hawkers from the city’s pavements is pending before the division bench of Justice P. C. Ghosh and Justice B. Somadder. In March, the bench had ordered the government to chalk out a comprehensive plan for rehabilitation of hawkers and submit it before the court, within three months.

Acting on the high court directive, a group of city-based NGOs and social organisations, along with the government, has worked out a plan. It will be placed before the high court in the second week of June, when the case related to hawker eviction will come up for hearing.