The Ahmedabad commissioner of police Sudhir Sinha has ordered closure of all hookah bars in the city in a notification issued on Saturday.
Police commissioner has given this order keeping in mind the law and order situation in city. Sinha said, "Today's youth will head the wrong way if they visit hookah bars and so they need to be closed down."
On July 14, 2011, the commissioner had issued a temporary notification citing closure of all hookah bars in the city. But, the police commissioner re-issued another permanent notification on Saturday asking all hookah bars in the city to be shut down.
Earlier, the hotel and restaurant owners had met commissioner and requested Sinha to allow them to provide hookah service to those customers who need it. The commissioner then had allowed permission to owners to provide service to those who need it under certain terms and conditions. Consequently, hotels and restaurant owners who weren't providing this service had to suffer loss and they also began to provide this service. But, the commissioner, on Saturday, has demanded all hookah bars to down the shutters.
The notification further says that anyone found flouting these norms will be booked under Section 188 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 131 (1) of Bombay Police Act.
