No laws, permits required to run a hookah parlour?

Mumbai: Replying to queries asked in an RTI application by an activist, the state home department has said that as there is no law with respect to hookah parlours, the department could not furnish the details sought under the right to information act. The police department and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said that they have no details of how many hookah parlours exist in the city or the action taken against the parlours for violating laws because the hookah parlours do not fall under their purview. 

Mansoor Darvesh, a Jogeshwari resident had written to the state home department, the commissioner of police, Mumbai and the BMC commissioner under the RTI Act in order to find the number of licenses that have been issued for running hookah parlours in the city, the timings they are allowed to remain open for, and the minimum age required to enter a parlour, along with the action taken against the parlours for violating the laws. 

The home department in its reply said that there is no law for hookah parlours in the city and so the details couldn’t be furnished for the RTI application reply. Similarly, the hotel branch of the Mumbai police replied that their department is not concerned with hookah parlours, as their department is not involved in issuing licenses for these parlours. They too couldn’t give any details for the reply. 

The health department of the BMC in its reply, said, “The trade of hookah parlours doesn’t come under the purview of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act. Hence, the question of granting licences to the hookah parlours from the public health department does not arise. Hence, the information sought by you is not available in this office.”