The Panchkula administration has put a blanket ban on serving of any kind of hookah, even herbal ones, in hotels, restaurants, bars and other commercial establishments in the city.
In a statement, the Panchkula police cited the Haryana government’s orders for banning the serving of hookah, even those without nicotine. The orders issued by deputy commissioner of police Sumer Pratap Singh, under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure shall remain in force till December 11 this year.
Many restaurants and bars had been serving herbal hookahs, without nicotine. The new order banning hookahs has citied health hazards, especially the spread of communicable diseases, through the use of hookahs.
Since January this year, police have registered 28 cases, in which 33 managers and employees were arrested, for illegally serving hookahs in their establishments.
The DCP said that no violation of the ban will be tolerated, and strict action will be taken against those caught serving hookah. The order comes five days after the station house officer (SHO) of Sector police station was transferred to the police lines for failing to check hookahs bars operating in his jurisdiction.