DCW seeks action-taken report from MCDs against spa centres running prostitution ring

The Delhi Commission for Women on Tuesday issued summons to the commissioners of three municipal bodies and sought details of the action taken against spa centres which were allegedly found running prostitution rackets.

The women's panel has has been inspecting spa centres across Delhi and FIRs were registered after it was found that sex rackets were operating there.

The panel had summoned senior MCD and police officials on September 9 in the matter and had directed them to ensure that sex rackets in spa be immediately closed down.

It was decided in the meeting that the three MCD would be taking proper steps and changing their licensing mechanism to ensure that sex rackets do not operate in spa and massage centre, the panel said.

The license for operating spa are being given by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) through online process without any checks, the panel claimed.

It was decided that a separate license shall now be issued after proper manual checks that shall include NOC from Commissioner of Police, as is being done by Tamil Nadu Government in Chennai, the panel said.

Further, a complete ban shall be imposed on cross massage (massage service offered by person from the opposite gender) as well as massage in bolted rooms and this shall be incorporated as a primary condition for licensing, it said.

The timings of the spa shall be specified from 10 am to 7 pm only and ID Proofs of all customers visiting the spa shall be collected, the panel said.

Further MCDs were directed to examine ways to limit the existence of spas in a particular area, it said.

The MCD commissioners have been summoned on September 20 to explain their steps on each of the points discussed in the meeting. Also, list of inspections conducted by them in the past four years have also been sought, the panel said.

The BJP-led South Corporation on Monday decided that it will soon change its policy on operation of spas and massage parlours, which will also include a ban on massage service offered by a person of the opposite gender. The DCW welcomed this move but said the other corporations should also follow suit.