Serving of hookah banned in Chandigarh for 60 days

District magistrate’s order states sharing of hookah equipment can become a cause of transmission of Covid-19.

The UT administration has extended the ban on serving of hookah in city’s hotels, restaurants, taverns, bars and hookah bars.

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An order under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure was issued on Monday by district magistrate Mandip Singh Brar for the 60-day ban, starting from December 14.

“The hookah in many of these bars is being smoked/consumed by the people/customers through a common bowl, pipe and a hose having mouth piece, which is susceptible to physical mouth to mouth touch of many persons, thus posing danger to human life, health and safety by becoming a cause of as well as leading to the transmission and spread ofCovid-19 pandemic in Chandigarh,” the DM observed in his order.

“Hookah bars are operational in Chandigarh in a clandestine way, which are serving flavoured hookahs, including tobacco molasses containing nicotine, which is highly injurious to health of people and at times there is a suspicion that apart from tobacco, other harmful narcotic chemicals are also mixed with tobacco molasses served in these hookah bars,” the order stated.

Any person violating the order will be punished under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code.