Bhubaneswar: Police have decided to intensify their crackdown on hookah bars in the city and raided seven such joints at Saheed Nagar and Patia area on Saturday evening.
The police said they had sent samples collected from the joints to the State Forensic Laboratory here for chemical examination.
Bhubaneswar deputy commissioner of police Satyabrata Bhoi said they had asked owners of the joints to produce documents such as trade licence and fire safety certificates.
"If we find nicotine content in the samples, we will recommend the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation to suspend their trade licence," said Bhoi.
The state capital has more than three dozens hookah bars. The civic body and the police had raided several hookah bars at Saheed Nagar in November and found nicotine in the samples. The joints, however, claim to sell herbal hookah without nicotine.
Following the raids, Odisha police director-general R.P. Sharma had also asked the police to raid such joints across the state. He had also directed the force to take appropriate penal action under the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act, Food Safety and Standards Act and Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act.
The Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act prohibits smoking tobacco products in a non-smoking zone while also prohibiting the sale of any tobacco product to minors and in an area within a 100 yard radius of educational institutions. Doctors said though most of hookah smokers think it causes less harm than cigarettes, the ill effects are similar.
Bhoi said their inspection of hookah bars would continue. "We will collect samples from all such joints here and send those for forensic examination. We will also ensure that these joints refrain from entertaining minors below the age of 18," he added.
Parents welcomed the move and demanded stern action against such joints.
"Hookah bars have mushroomed across the city and many schoolchildren visit these joints. Several schoolchildren have also become addicted to tobacco. The police said should initiate penal action against these joints," said Vivek Mohapatra, a parent.
