Dance bars all over Maharashtra, barring Mumbai, will be closed with immediate effect, Maharashtra government informed the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday.

A committee will finalise norms for bars in the state capital, it said.

Replying to a calling attention motion, Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister R R Patil said dance bars, which had flourished in various parts of the state, had adverse effect on the youth, 'damaging' the cultural texture of the state.

"Many of these bars do not have entertainment licences and are flouting the norms laid down under the eatery and liquor licence issued to them," Patil said.

The home minister said the government will also take a decision on not issuing fresh licences for dance bars.

Members Vivek Patil, Ramchandra Sale and Tukaram Birkad had tabled the motion in the lower house drawing the attention of the government to the spurt in dancing bars in Raigad district.

The Peasants and Workers Party held several agitations to protest against the bar culture and even submitted a memorandum to the Thane rural police chief asking him to cancel licences of dance bars within 15 days, the members said.

However, instead of controlling these bars, the authorities had allowed their numbers to increase, they said.

The recent raid on 'Baywatch' dance bar in Khalapur has endorsed that such bars are centres of flesh trade, the members added.

Meanwhile, the dance bars in Mumbai have decided to remain closed from April one to protest against the government decision's.

"The dance bars in the city will remain closed to show their solidarity with the bars in rest of the state, which have been ordered to close down," Bar Association of Mumbai President Manjit Sethi told PTI.

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