Mumbai Mayor calls hukka parlours ‘fire traps’, wants them sealed till they’re regulated
Representational Image (Courtesy: Zomato)
Mumbai Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar, who had called for a ban on unregulated hukka parlours in the city days before the Kamala Mills fire, plans to push for a complete ban after the fire department report blamed coal embers for the tragedy.
In an interview to Mumbai Mirror, the mayor stated that he will soon convene a meeting with BMC chief Ajoy Mehta and Police Commissioner Datta Padsalgikar to work on regulating such joints, which he described as ‘fire traps’.
Mahadeshwar claimed that eateries were bending Supreme Court’s guidelines about smoking areas to serve hukka illegally. He also alleged that such places were narcotics dens and encouraged crime among youngsters.
Since no specific permissions are required to run a hukka parlour currently, the mayor has urged the CM to formulate rules pertaining to its licensing. Meanwhile, he plans to invoke section 8 (1) of the fire safety act to seal hukka bars operating in the city.
