New Delhi: The Delhi Government has asked Delhi Police and the BJP-ruled Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to crack down on bars and restaurants that are illegally serving Hookah in the national capital. Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain said that joints serving Hookah are doing so in violation of a Government of India order and that Delhi Police and MCD should revoke the licenses of any bars or eateries found doing so illegally.
“Recent notification of Government of India GSR 500(E) dated 23rd May 2017 from Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, completely prohibits use of Hookah in the smoking zones also. Therefore, Hookah Bars in any form are illegal and Delhi Police & MCD should cancel the licenses of such restaurants, eateries and hotels where such illegal Hookah bars are operating,” a Delhi government statement said.
The state government added that Delhi Police and MCD had received several letters over the last four years, asking them to act against illegal Hookah bars, but they had failed to take cognizance of these warnings and had failed to act.
“In this regard series of letters have been written to Delhi Police and MCD in last four years to initiate action against these illegally running Hookah bars and save the younger generation from the harmful effects of tobacco. However, the action is yet awaited and the violations are still going on in many parts of Delhi. It has been noticed that Hookah Smoking is rampant in restaurants, eateries and hotels in metropolitan cities including Delhi these days, and has unfortunately become status symbols even in Family Functions,” the statement added.
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