Corporation cracks down on hookah parlours attached to restaurants

The civic administration will now come down strongly on hookah parlours or restaurants serving tobacco products.

The civic administration will now come down strongly on hookah parlours or restaurants serving tobacco products. Last week,the Bombay High Court had pulled up the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation for inaction against the increasing number of hookah parlours in the city.

In a move to tighten the current norms,which allow smoking in separate rooms in eateries with seating capacity of more than 30,the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation will now incorporate the stringent measures of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) in the general conditions of the BMC Eating House Licences.

We will incorporate a new clause in the licensed agreements of the restaurants under the COTPA,which will prohibit selling of hookah and other tobacco products at these places, said Mhaiskar. Earlier,as the provisions of the COTPA were not included in our general rules,we could only seize their goods but did not have the power to revoke their licences, said Manisha Mhasikar,Additional Municipal Commissioner.

The civic body inspected over 140 restaurants and eateries in the past 15 days,of which 8 were found to be serving hookah. These restaurants were given show-cause notices to shut down the hookah sections,failing which their licences will be revoked, said Mhasikar.

According to Mhaiskar,all ward officers have now been instructed to keep a strict check on any hookah joint operating in their area.

The High Court last week had directed the civic body to take tough action against hookah parlours while hearing a public interest litigation filed by Crusade Against Tobacco. The court has asked the civic corporation to act within six weeks.

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