Mumbai, Mar 28: Running a hookah parlour in Maharashtra could now land upto 3 years in jail and Rs 1 lakh fine, as per the fresh amendments moved by the Maharashtra government to the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003.

The new Bill comes nearly seven years after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, the civic body of Mumbai, issued a circular barring sale of hookah in the state.

Nearly 4,000 hookah parlours in Mumbai were shut down in July 2011, after the BMC issued its circular.

The ban, however, was uplifted after the Supreme Court granted interim relief to the hookah parlour owners in December 2014.

The push to ban hookah sale was taken up with fresh vigour by the state government after the fire which broke out at a restaurant in Mumbai's Kamala Mills compound on December 29, 2017.

The blaze, caused by embers of hookah, ended up claiming 14 lives.

As per the amended COTPA Bill, any police officer of the rank of assistant inspector or above is authorised "to seize any material or article used as a subject or means of hookah bar".

"No person shall, either on his own or on behalf of any other person, open or run any hookah bar in any place including the eating house," the law further states.

Further explaining the rationale behind the law, the government said minors and college students are attracted in sprawling numbers at such hookah parlours, which have exponentially grown in areas around Mumbai, including Thane and Navi Mumbai.

“Minors and collegian are attracted to these bars. At present, there is no law in respect to hookah bars, therefore, no legal action can be taken. It is therefore necessary to regulate hookah bars by law," the government states as the object and reason behind the amended COTPA.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 28, 2018 11:32 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).