Cops crack down on hookah bars

AHMEDABAD: City police on Wednesday cracked down on several major hookah bars in western city parts - in areas such as Vastrapur, Sola, SG Road and Anandnagar - and found 20 of them to be flouting norms. Police have registered non-cognizable (NC) complaints against the hookah bar operators or owners with respective police stations.
This is one of the biggest drives against hookah bars in city after 2011, when court directives had stopped police from shutting down hookah bars or conducting raids.On November 7, Vastrapur police had registered similar cases against four hookah bars on Sindhu Bhavan road where complaints were mostly about noise.
So far, 20 non-cognizable offences against hookah bars have been registered with various police divisions including A Division (8), B Division (8), M Division (1) and N Division (3).
Police said teams were formed in Zone I and VII — consisting of Vastrapur, Sola, Ghatlodia, Naranpura, Navrangpura, Gujarat University, Ellisbridge, Sarkhej, Satellite, Anandnagar, etc. — to check on the hookah bars.
“According to guidelines given by the judiciary, the hookah bar operators have to adhere to the norms shown in notification where the dining area and smoking area should be separate, the smoking area should be clearly designated, there should be CCTV cameras installed, and the tobacco used in hookah should have the same statutory warning as seen on packets sold outside,” said a city police official.
Police officials said that the teams were given the check-list. “Some of the hookah bars did not have licences for operating eateries. Other major heads attracting police action included lack of proper CCTV, no separate areas and tobacco packets without statutory warnings. Operators of such bars have been asked to give explanations,” said a police official.