Parents express concern, say authorities not doing enough

Tribune News Service

Shivani Bhakoo

Ludhiana, March 17

The news of a restaurant owner and manager at Canal Road being booked for allegedly serving hookah to minors has come as a shock for parents. Worried about the health and safety of their wards, they said due to the easy availability of liquor, vapes, hookahs and other addictive stuff to youngsters at several shops in Sarabha Nagar, Malhar Road and at few restaurants and hotels in the city, youth was getting hooked on to drugs.

A worried parent, Rakhi Garg (name changed), a resident of BRS Nagar, said recently her son had celebrated his birthday at a hotel in which parents were not allowed.

“A surprise visit to the party revealed that vodka, wine, vape and hookah etc., was readily available for them. We had strictly asked the hotel authorities not to serve liquor to them. But children pooled from their own pockets and got everything they wanted,” she said.

Several restaurants in South City and Sarabha Nagar have specially arranged for “cozy corners” where youth is served everything they want. “There are many restaurants which serve tobacco-laced flavoured hookah to students and there is hardly any check by authorities at these places. We can order whatever we want and spend good time there. We are their permanent customers so there is a mutual trust on each other. I want to quit the habit but I am not able to do so,” said Aman (name changed), another student in BCom first year.

Amarvir Singh of Hotel and Restaurant Association said: “There are some people violating rules, but it is not correct to blame the entire industry.”