The Haryana Meeting on Monday handed a invoice that prohibits opening or operating hookah bars or serving hookah to clients in anyplace, together with consuming homes, within the state.
The Cigarettes and Different Tobacco Merchandise (Prohibition of Commercial and Regulation of Commerce and Commerce, Manufacturing, Provide and Distribution) Haryana Modification Invoice, 2024, was handed within the night.
Residence Minister Anil Vij had moved the invoice within the Home.
In response to the invoice, after Part 4 of the principal Act (central legislation) — The Cigarettes and Different Tobacco Merchandise (Prohibition of Commercial and Regulation of Commerce and Commerce, Manufacturing, Provide and Distribution), Act, 2003, — “The next part shall be inserted: ‘4-A. Prohibition of hookah bar — However something contained on this Act, no particular person shall both on his personal or on behalf of every other particular person, open or run any hookah bar or serve hookah to a buyer in anyplace, together with an consuming home’.”
The invoice has outlined “consuming home” as “anyplace the place meals or refreshment of any form is offered or bought to guests for consumption”.
After Part 21 of the principal Act, Part 21-A shall be inserted, based on the invoice.
The availability offers with punishment for operating a hookah bar.
“Whoever contravenes the provisions of Part 4-A shall be punished with imprisonment for a time period which shall not be lower than one yr however which can lengthen to a few years and with effective which shall not be lower than Rs 1 lakh however which can lengthen to Rs 5 lakh,” it states.
Throughout discussions on the invoice, Congress MLA Varun Chaudhary referred to a provision within the modification.
He stated a “hookah bar” has been outlined as any industrial institution the place individuals collect to smoke tobacco from a hookah or narghile, which is offered individually as a industrial service however doesn’t embody a conventional hookah.
“Underneath this, it mentions that conventional hookah shouldn’t be included on this. However what conventional hookah truly is that has not been outlined within the invoice. What’s going to occur is that to bypass issues, (violators) will put dangerous and prohibited substances in that (conventional) hookah. Thus, it’s going to defeat the very objective for which this invoice is being introduced,” he stated.
The Congress’ BB Batra additionally sought that “conventional hookah” be outlined.
Vij stated it has been talked about that “hookah bar” means any industrial institution the place individuals collect to smoke, and it’s not for individuals who smoke conventional hookah at dwelling.
Chaudhary additionally requested how the legislation would apply if anybody places that “conventional hookah” in a industrial place and inserts prohibited substances into it.
Vij asserted that the invoice particularly talks about industrial institutions and the Congress chief expressed satisfaction with the minister’s clarification.
The invoice was later handed.
In response to the invoice’s assertion of objects and causes, the state authorities has taken severe observe of hookah bars serving hookah narghile with tobacco containing nicotine in varied districts.
Numerous flavours/herbs are additionally served by such hookah bars. A number of instances, even banned medicine are served within the hookah bars beneath the guise of flavours/herbs.
“Such hookah includes a water pipe system and flavoured constituent ‘shisha’, heated with charcoal. As a result of false impression of much less or no threat related to it and availability of a number of flavours and fewer harshness of smoke, its utilization has elevated considerably,” it states.
“Nonetheless, smoke of such flavoured hookah accommodates varied toxicants, which aren’t solely dangerous for the particular person smoking but additionally these close by on account of passive smoking,” it additional mentions.