Law no deterrent for Chandigarh clubs serving hookah

Amit Sharma

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 2

It seems there is no fear of law and the orders of the UT Administration banning serving of hookah in view of Covid-19 have failed to act as a deterrent as several clubs and restaurants have been caught repeatedly for defying the hookah ban.

In one such incident, three cases have been registered in less than a month against “The Common Room” at Mani Majra for sevring hookah.

The Administration has already imposed a ban on serving of flavoured hookahs, including tobacco molasses containing nicotine, for smoke or consumption in hotels, restaurants, bars, taverns and hookah bars.

However, many bars and clubs have repeatedly failed to adhere to the directions.

In a case registered on August 1, the police found hookah being served at the “The Common Room” in Mani Majra. The police sealed the club for three days and registered a case under Sections 188, 269 and 270 of the IPC and Section 58 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

This happens to be the third time in less than a month when hookah was found being served at the café.

Earlier, on July 21, SDM (East) Ruchi Singh Bedi raided “The Common Room” and sealed it for serving hookah on the premises. Another case was registered against the same establishment on July 3.

In April, SDM (Central) Harjeet Singh Sandhu had ordered the sealing of Pipe and Barrel Club in Sector 9 for serving hookah. The same club was earlier found violating the District Magistrate’s order thrice between December 2020 and January 2021.

Gurmukh Singh, DSP (East), said they kept a close watch on the clubs to ensure that hookah was not served to customers. “We have been registering cases against the clubs for violation of the orders and recommend sealing of clubs for serving hookah,” the DSP said. A majority of the cases against the clubs have been filed at the Sector 26 police station.

Since March 2020, 19 cases have been registered against the clubs and bars at the Sector 26 police station.