The order issued under Section 144 of CrPC to control the spread of novel coronavirus stated, “…hookah bars are operational in Chandigarh in a clandestine way...the hookah in many of these bars are being smoked/consumed by people/customers through a common bowl, pipe and a hose having mouthpiece, which is susceptible to physical mouth to mouth touch of many persons, posing danger to human life, health and safety by becoming a cause of as well as leading to the transmission and spread of pandemic Covid-19 in Chandigarh.”
The DC ordered no hookah would be served in hotels, restaurants, taverns, and bars.
ALSO READ: Kerela removes all the restrictions! In 2019, the administration had sought details like samples collected from hookah bars and the outcome of the tests. A report was also sought related to building by-laws of the premises from where bars were running.
The matter was discussed in the Administrator’s Advisory Council meeting on February 14, 2019, on the pattern of the Punjab government but no final decision was taken. Although there are more than 10 hookah bars, sources said almost every disco and bar sell flavored hookah. These outlets are in sectors 7, 8, 9 and 26, besides Industrial Area, phases I and II. Officials of the health department had submitted before the administration that smoking hookah was damaging the health of young people. Over the years, police and the health department officials have raided many hookah bars and seized drugs that were being served to customers. In some cases, the teams found traces of nicotine in the samples of hookah tobacco, which is a dangerous combination. Even action was initiated against a few violators.
Punjab had banned hookah bars in 2018 In 2018, the Punjab government had decided to impose a permanent ban on hookah bars in the state instead of issuing temporary orders against them every two months. The proposed amendment was approved by the state assembly in March 2018 and later in November 2018, President Ram Nath Kovind had given assent to a Bill from the Punjab state to check the use of tobacco. Punjab was the third state in the country after Gujarat and Maharashtra where hookah bars or lounges were banned through law.
News Courtesy: ET
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