New Delhi, Oct 31 (PTI) In a crackdown on the city'shookah bars, the Delhi government today asked the police andmunicipal corporations to cancel the licences of restaurants,eateries and hotels where hookah smoking is allowed.
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said that hookahsmoking was not allowed in either non-smoking or even smokingzones in the national capital.
Jain has said Delhi Police and municipal corporationsshould immediately cancel the licences of restaurants oreateries having hookah bars.
"The minister has made it clear that hookah smoking isnot allowed in non smoking zone as per section 4 of COTPA(Cigarette & other Tobacco Products Act)," the government saidin a statement.
It said that a recent notification of the Indiangovernment dated May 23, 2017, from Ministry of Health andFamily Welfare, completely prohibits use of hookah in thesmoking zones also.
The government stated that as per the Centre for DiseaseControl and Prevention (CDC), an hour-long hookah sessioncomprises 200 puffs compared to 30 puffs in a cigarette, but anumber of hookah bars have been "flourishing" flouting anti–tobacco rules and laws.
The government said the state tobacco control cell hasconducted several raids in various parts of the city.
"Chemical analysis of picked up samples have shownpresence of nicotine in significant amount in almost all thesamples though originally they were claimed to be herbal innature," the statement said.
The government alleged that despite several letters toDelhi Police and civic bodies in last four years, no actionwas initiated against these "illegally" running hookah bars tosave the younger generation from the harmful effects oftobacco.
"However, the action is yet awaited and the violationsare still going on in many parts of Delhi. It has been noticedthat hookah smoking is rampant in restaurants/eateries/hotelsin metropolitan cities including Delhi these days, and hasunfortunately become status symbol even in family functions,"the statement said.
Government said that unlike in earlier times where hookahwas mostly used by the village elders, it has now gainedpopularity among the youth.
People consider hookah as a safe alternative to smokingwithout realising that it is even more harmful and has anadverse impact on their health, it said. PTI BUN ASKASK.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.
