Bhubaneswar: The municipal corporation on Monday conducted raids on four hookah bars at Saheed Nagar and found that none of these had the required licence.

The Telegraph on October 25 carried a report on mushrooming of these joints in the city and entertaining even minor school students.

A seven-member team of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, including the food safety officer, deputy commissioner of sanitation, additional health officer and the sanitary inspector, inspected the four joints.

"Three of the four joints have valid trade licence and food licence, but one of those failed to produce any documents. All of these joints were found of not having any licence for hookah. A report was prepared on the basis of the visit, and it will be submitted to the civic body commissioner for further action," said a corporation official.

The officials said several young boys and girls were spotted in these joints during the inspection, and they started fleeing the spot all of a sudden. "The civic body may cancel their trade and food licences. We will also conduct an inspection of similar joints in the city," said an official.

Sources said the matter was also raised during the monthly corporation meeting in September, in which a number of councillors had urged the civic body to conduct an inspection of these joints. "We will also discuss the matter with police to decide any the possible action against those joints," he said.

Earlier, several citizens had urged the police through social networking platforms to prevent entry of minors in the joints. Sources said that more than two dozens of hookah bars had been set up in the city, mostly at Saheed Nagar and Patia. Besides, many youngsters visit the joints to spend time with friends and colleagues.