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Haryana assembly passes bill banning hookah bars
Hookah bar, as per the amendment bill, is defined as a commercial establishment where people gather to smoke tobacco from a hookah or narghile which is provided individually as a commercial service but does not include a traditional hookah
The Haryana assembly on Monday passed a bill to prohibit hookah bars in the state. A state amendment was on Monday brought in the House to clamp a ban on hookah bars by introducing provisions in a central law - The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act. Hookah bar, as per the amendment bill, is defined as a commercial establishment where people gather to smoke tobacco from a hookah or narghile which is provided individually as a commercial service but does not include a traditional hookah
Objecting to the bill, Congress MLA Varun Chaudhary said that it is not clear in the proposed law as to what is meant by a traditional hookah as is has not been defined in the bill. Chaudhary said the ambiguity will be used by violators to their advantage as they will use the traditional hookah with toxic and harmful substances. This will squarely defeat the objective of this proposed law, he said.
Congress MLA from Rohtak Bharat Bhushan Batra seconded Chaudhary and said that traditional hookah should be clearly defined in the bill.
Home minister Anil Vij who had introduced the bill in House said it clearly says that hookah bar meant a commercial establishment where people gather to smoke.
“But my concern is that traditional hookahs containing toxic and prohibited substances may be used at commercial outlets,” Chaudhary said.
The statement of objects and reasons of the bill said the state government has taken a serious note that hookah bars are serving hookah narghile with tobacco containing nicotine in various Haryana districts, which is highly injurious to health of the public at large. “Various flavours and herbs are also served by hookah bars. Many a times, even banned drugs are served in the said hookah bars under the guise of flavours or herbs. Such hookah involves water pipe system and flavoured constituent shisha, heated with charcoal. Due to the misconception of less or no risk associated with it and availability of multiple flavours and less harshness of smoke its usage has increased significantly. However, smoke of such flavoured hookah contains various toxicants, which are not only harmful for the person smoking but also those nearby due to passive smoking,” the bill said.
Haryana Antarashtriya Gita Jayanti Mela Authority Bill passed
The assembly on Monday also passed the Haryana Antarashtriya Gita Jayanti Mela Authority Bill, 2024. The main functions of the authority, as per the statement of objects and reasons, will be to popularise and disseminate the teachings of Bhagavad Gita as well as organise cultural and educational seminars, workshops, fairs, exhibitions and conferences. The authority will provide essential facilities to the devotees. The bill said that a large number of devotees and people at large, both from India and abroad involved themselves during Gita Jayanti Mahotsav. Currently, there is no independent authority to organise the mahotsav. The state government has felt the necessity for the establishment and constitution of a statutory authority for management, regulation and organising the Antarashtriya Gita Mahotsav in a proper and cogent manner as well as to provide better facilities to the pilgrims and visitors during the mahotsav period.
