Mangaluru: A group of lawyers has urged the Karnataka government to enact a law on the lines of Kerala to regulate Ayurvedic health centres, massage parlours, spas and beauty salons. They argued that frequent police raids on such centres, without any clear legislation, are arbitrary and humiliating for genuine service providers.
Senior advocate and former government prosecutor Manoraj Rajeev, addressing a press meet at Mangaluru Press Club on Thursday along with other lawyers, said illegal activities by a few mafias were tarnishing the industry’s image, while thousands of honest workers — especially women — were being harassed in the absence of proper regulation.
He pointed out that Kerala had enacted a licensing law in 2007 to monitor such wellness centres and curb misuse. Karnataka, however, has no such framework, leading to confusion between the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments (KPME) Act and the Shops and Establishments Act, leaving officials unsure of enforcement.
Highlights:
- Manoraj said branding spas as immoral without a law is “unethical”; police raids humiliate genuine operators.
- Kerala’s 2007 law licenses Ayurvedic and spa centres, ensuring accountability; lawyers want Karnataka to follow.
- Advocates warned that lakhs depending on the wellness sector risk harassment and job loss if unregulated.
- Gender bias questioned: “Why standards applied to spa therapists are not applied to nurses and obstetricians?”
“This is not just a coastal Karnataka issue but a statewide problem. The government must act quickly to regulate the healthcare and wellness industry,” Manoraj Rajeev said.