NGT directs govt, DPCC to verify restaurants, pubs serving hookahs

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 14

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the city government, Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and other instrumentalities to verify serving of hooka in the restaurants and pubs in the capital.

A three-member bench headed by NGT chairman Justice Swatantra Kumar issued this order while hearing a petition filed by MLA and Delhi Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) general secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa.

Giving details of the order of the NGT, Sirsa informed that the court took serious notice that of the fact that the Delhi Government had till date not filed its response to the petition. It directed the Delhi Government and other instrumentalities to verify whether hookah was being served or not in restaurants and pubs in the city.

Welcoming the order of the NGT, Sirsa stated that it was most unfortunate that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had usurped constitutional rights of representative elected by the people so they were forced to move courts. He said this was a classic case of vendetta politics which was creating hurdle in implementation of pro-people decisions.

He said though with latest order of the NGT it would be verified where hookah was being served, but truth of the matter was that the Tobacco Control Committee had ordered complete ban on hookah serving in the capital after it was notified by the Union Health Ministry.