Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday announced a comprehensive ban on the use of hookahs in hotels, restaurants, bars, and commercial establishments throughout the state. However, this ban is not applicable to traditional hookahs used in rural areas.
This decision was disclosed during the concluding ceremony of a state-level ‘Cyclothon,’ organised as part of a robust drug de-addiction campaign, as per an official statement.
The decision comes in the wake of a plea made by Haryana Assembly Speaker Gian Chand Gupta, who had urged for a ban on hookah usage in hotels, restaurants, pubs, bars, and nightclubs within the state.
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Gupta emphasised the critical nature of the issue, describing the smoking of hookahs in bars and clubs as a “burning problem.”
To boost the culture of cycling and endorse eco-friendly modes of transportation, Chief Minister Khattar unveiled the Haryana Shahri Vikas Pradhikaran program.
As part of this initiative, licenced builders providing housing facilities will include a bicycle as a gift to the property owner alongside property registry documents.
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In cases where the beneficiary already possesses a bicycle, the HSVP or the builder will provide Rs 3,000 in lieu of the cycle.
This program aligns with the government’s commitment to sustainable and greener modes of commuting.
The Chief Minister inaugurated the Cyclothon on September 1, culminating in the announcement of the hookah ban. Covering an extensive distance of approximately 2,000 km, the Cyclothon served as a potent platform for raising awareness regarding the pernicious effects of drug addiction.
While the Cyclothon may have reached its conclusion, Chief Minister Khattar stressed that the battle against drug addiction is far from over. He asserted that public awareness campaigns must persist for at least a year to combat this menace plaguing society.