Haryana government imposes ban on hookah in bars, restaurants, hotels
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said that the state has banned hookah being served to customers in hotels, restaurants, bars and commercial establishments. The hookah ban will be applicable across the state but will not apply to traditional hookahs used in rural areas of Haryana.
FollowHaryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday announced a ban on serving hookah to customers in hotels, restaurants, bars and commercial establishments across the state. However, this will not apply to traditional hookahs used in rural areas. According to a formal statement, he made the remark during the closing ceremony of a state-level "Cyclothon" that was held in Karnal as part of a campaign to combat drug addiction.
This move comes months after Haryana Assembly Speaker Gian Chand Gupta urged a ban on hookah service in the state's lodging, dining, drinking, and nightlife establishments.
Gupta had informed Khattar about this in a letter in May. The hookah smoking at pubs and clubs was referred to as a "burning problem" by the Speaker, who also voiced grave worry about it.
The Haryana Shahri Vikas Pradhikaran initiative was introduced by Chief Minister Khattar to encourage cycling and environmentally friendly transportation. In cases where the beneficiary already possesses a bicycle, HSVP or the builder will present Rs 3,000 in lieu of the cycle, it said.
The Cyclothon was launched by Khattar on September 1 and ended on Monday. The Cyclothon, which spanned roughly 2,000 kilometers, provided an effective platform for bringing attention to the negative impacts of drug addiction, according to the chief minister.
He highlighted that although the Cyclothon may have come to an end, the fight against drug addiction is far from done and has to last at least another year in order to be entirely eradicated.
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