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It may be mentioned here that many hookah parlours in Nagpur are serving hookah under the garb of providing an upscale sitouts for the youngsters. Sources revealed that these properties include Carnations Rooftop Restaurant, Sadar; Sijazz Cafe Town Land Futala, Ambazari; Vipul house restaurant, Bharat Nagar, Ambazari; Lake Side Grill, Futala, Ambazari; GBS Restaurant, Futala, Ambazari; Kerbstone Lounge, Ravi Nagar Square, Ambazari; Koba Lounge, Ravi Nagar Square, Ambazari; Waffle House, Ravi Nagar; Flames Cafe Lounge, Ambazari; Spot 9 Restaurant, Ambazari; PaiPick Dreams Cafe, Utkarsh Apartment, Sadar; WTF Restaurant, MIDC; Ten11 Restaurant, Rana Pratap Nagar; Skyfall Lounge & Cigaars, Rana Pratap Nagar; Winds & Woods, Sadar; Checkmate Cafe Lounge, North Ambazari Road; Roof 9, Dharampeth; Fusion Cafe & Lounge, Dharampeth.
All these hookah joints and restaurants were raided by the police in year 2017 and 2018. The cops will now write a letter to NMC and press for cancellation of restaurant permissions to these establishments.
The top cop has accorded top priority to the issue and directed all units to compile data of action under Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) in every monthly crime meeting.
In his circular to police unit the DGP has asked the force to step in to crush the menace of hookah joints who were found violating rules of COTPA. “Write a letter to concerned officials of Municipal Corporation to cancel the license of the hookah joints immediately after the joint is raided also listing the violations,” the DGP has stated in the circular.
The joints have always remained under scanner of narcotics units and were also proving to be a social problem. Despite police action many of the hookah joints were refusing to mend their ways.
“More than 60 hookah joints are operating in the city. Police have registered cases under COTPA against around 30 hookah joints so far,” a police officer informed.
And yet, many of the joints were operating in the city without any fear of law. This was because the municipal corporation had not initiated any action against them.
After ascertaining the facts and the go-slow approach of the authorities, DGP Satish Mathur has now asked his force to pull up the socks and take stern action against the hookah joints.