BENGALURU: Complaints of drug peddling and use of narcotic substances in many hookah bars in the city have forced the state government to bring stringent laws to regulate the bars. Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Thursday assured that he has already instructed the officials to act in this regard.
Reddy, who held a high-level meeting with the police top brass to review law and order situation in the city, admitted that he too had been receiving complaints from the public about rampant use of tobacco and narcotic substances in many hookah bars. He also expressed concern over hookah bars near schools and colleges opened to draw the students.
The existing rules are proving to be inadequate to regulate or clamp down on the hookah bars and skill game centres which are operating in the city. "I have instructed the officials to draft suitable amendments to present laws so that functioning of these hookah bars and skill game centres could be regulated and effective action could be taken if they violate the norms. Many a time these, centres re-open within days after they are forced to close because the present laws are inadequate to regulate their functioning," Reddy added.
Reddy said he had issued orders to police to intensify vigil near schools and colleges to curb drug peddling. About 400 cases have been booked in the last 7 months and 827 kg of ganja, 1,600 mg of cocaine and 4.2 kg of charas has been confiscated in the city. Police have been told to trace the source of narcotics supply and hunt them down.