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Haryana CM Khattar announces ban on serving hookah to customers in commercial establishments
Haryana CM Khattar made this announcement while addressing a gathering at the closing ceremony of the state-level Cyclothon as part of the drug de-addiction campaign in Karnal. He expressed gratitude to the police personnel who pedalled for 25 days during the Cyclothon and announced that all 250 participating personnel would receive a Class-1 commendation certificate from the DGP Haryana.
Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday announced to impose a ban on serving ‘hookah’ to customers in hotels, restaurants, bars, and commercial establishments across the state. However, this prohibition will not apply to traditional hookahs used in rural areas.
The CM made this announcement while addressing a gathering at the closing ceremony of the state-level Cyclothon as part of the drug de-addiction campaign in Karnal.
He expressed gratitude to the police personnel who pedalled for 25 days during the Cyclothon and announced that all 250 participating personnel would receive a Class-1 commendation certificate from the DGP Haryana. Additionally, he declared a five-day holiday for these dedicated police personnel as a token of appreciation.
In a bid to promote cycling and encourage eco-friendly transportation, the chief minister also announced that Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran and any licenced builder providing housing facilities to individuals will gift a bicycle to the property owner along with the property registry. In cases where the beneficiary already possesses a bicycle, HSVP or the builder will present ₹3,000 in lieu of the cycle.
Khattar said that Cyclothon, which has covered approximately 2,000 km during its journey, serves as a powerful platform to raise awareness about the detrimental effects of drug addiction.
He highlighted the State Action Plan launched on May 5, which consists of three components: A public awareness campaign, de-addiction and rehabilitation efforts, and strict actions against drug traffickers. He said that the state government has taken several measures to combat drug addiction, including the establishment of an inter-state drug secretariat, the opening of drug de-addiction centres and the reinforcement of treatment and counselling facilities. In addition, software named ‘HAWK’ has been introduced to create a centralised state database for monitoring criminal activities related to the drug trade.
