Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) [India], August 31 (ANI): After a video became viral of a man smoking a hookah and consuming non-vegetarian food on a boat in river Ganga, Shailesh Pandey, SSP Prayagraj, said the video is being examined and the man being identified. After that action will be taken against him under relevant sections, the SSP said.

Nagpur Mar 27 PTI Police conducted a raid at a restaurant-cum-bar in Nagpur city on Sunday where hookah was being served to customers illegally an official said After the raid at the bar located in Jaripatka area police registered a case against four persons including the owner of the commercial establishment he said The four accused were identified as bar owner Shubham Kewalramani 26 Tarun Karamchandani 30 Krishna Patil 23 and Jitendra Murlidhar Madame 30 police said Acting on a tip-off Jaripatka police raided the bar around 1 pm and found the customers smoking hookah following which the action against the bar owner and staffers was taken the official of Jaripatka police station said PTI COR NP NP

Ghaziabad Jan 26 PTI Two men were arrested for operating an allegedly illegal hookah bar in Raj District Centre RDC police here said on Wednesday The arrests were made during a raid at Sky Caf Thursday night they said The accused have been identified as Ram Singh and Gufran both in their early twenties They were booked under section 269 of the Indian Penal Act and sections 21 and 22 of the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act a senior police officer said Four hookahs with chilams small pouches of flavoured tobacco and other equipment were seized in the raid said City Superintendent of Police second Nipun Agarwal Another hookah bar Baba Caf was raided in Ajanta Park area of Khoda Police Station jurisdiction and its manager Sahil was arrested the officer said Hookah equipment and flavoured tobacco were recovered in the raid at the joint located mere yards away from a police outpost the SSP added PTI COR VN VN

Ghaziabad Dec 28 PTI Twelve people were arrested during a raid at a hookah bar in the Indirapuram area here a senior police official said on Tuesday Upon getting information I along with my personal staff in civil dress and without flashing my location on wireless set raided the hookah bar I found that persons present in the bar were consuming alcohol and smoking tobacco I immediately called Indirapuram police which arrested them all Senior Superintendent of Police Pawan Kumar said The secret raid at the hookah bar being run in the name of King Caf restaurant was conducted on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday he said Those arrested have been identified as caf operator Vivek Sagar Umar Qureshi Rohit Kavya Kapoor Anoop Vishal Suraj Vijay Vinod Manoj and Ayush the SSP said India-made foreign liquor flavoured tobacco and hookahs were seized he said PTI COR AQS AQS

New Delhi [India], November 16 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Tuesday granted interim relief to petitioners, operating bars and restaurants in the national capital and allowed them to sell and serve herbal flavoured hookahs subject to an undertaking that they will follow COVID-19 guidelines.

New Delhi Oct 29 PTI The Delhi government Friday informed the Delhi High Court that it has decided not to lift the ban on the use of hookah in restaurants and pubs in the national capital because of the festive season and the chances of a third wave of COVID-19 The AAP government said in its affidavit this is not a time to lower our guards for such an unnecessary service which is likely to contribute to the transmission and severity of coronavirus Justice Rekha Palli allowed several restaurants and bars which have challenged the order of the Joint Commissioner of Police Licensing Unit prohibiting the sale or service of herbal flavoured hookahs to file their response to the official stand and asked that the Delhi governments affidavit be brought on record before the next date of hearingKeeping in view the upcoming festive chances of coming up of the third wave AY42 lineage of COVID-19 a sub-variant of the Delta coronavirus strain being found in many states of India efforts of different departments ie health police municipality transport etc to reduce coronavirus spread till date substantial loss of lives suffering caused during the second wave of COVID-19 it is important not to lower our guard for an unnecessary and ill-intended service which is likely to increase the severity and transmission of COVID-19 the affidavit filed through the Delhi governments Standing Council Santosh Kumar Tripath saidThe Delhi government said that according to the courts order it reconsidered its latest order of October 14 on continuing the prohibition on the use of hookah with and without tobacco ie herbal hookah water pipes and other hookah like devices in all public places including hotels restaurants pubs etcIt clarified that till date Delhi Disaster Management Authority has permitted only those activities such that the opening of cinema halls restaurants etc that are essential and have social and economic well-being of the publicFurther such activities are only allowed to be opened in compliance with all COVID appropriate behaviour but the very nature of the mechanism of hookah increases the risk of transmission of the virus it addedCOVID-19 infected smokers can spread the virus through floating of contaminated aerosol particles in the air settling of contaminated particles on objects and surfaces coughing sneezing disposal of contaminated cigarette butts etc The use of hookah in open space will not eliminate the risk of transmission of COVID-19As per WHO CDC Centre for Disease Control the act of hookah smoking includes touching of hookah device by the fingers and close contact of fingers with lips which increases the possibility of transmission of the virus from hand to mouth Thus allowing herbal hookah in open spaces may worsen the situation and increase the transmission the affidavit statedIt is further stated that hookah consumption cannot be compared to the breath analyser tests being carried out by the police as the inhalers in the testing device are used only for one person and have to be discarded after use so that both police and the person on whom the test has to be done are not exposed to hazardous communicable diseasesThe court is also informed that serving hookah is not only a fire hazard but using herbal hookah without the consideration of the Ministry of AYUSH and other authorities on the nature of ingredients may have serious health implications the affidavit saidSince petitioners are themselves accepting that only a few customers are asking for hookah there can be no argument of loss of livelihood the government addedThe high court had earlier directed the Delhi government to reconsider the ban and filed an affidavitOn September 17 the high court had asked the Delhi government why DDMAs order prohibiting the use of herbal hookah in public places to contain the spread of COVID-19 be not re-considered when breath analyser test was being allowed nowSeparate petitions were filed by Breath Fine Lounge and Bar TOS R High Speedbar and Lounge Verandah Moonshine and Sixth Empirica Lounge in West Punjabi Bagh saying that they were serving herbal hookahs for which no licence is required as they are totally without tobacco but the police were still conducting raids seizing equipment and issuing challansThe Delhi government has been opposing the pleas saying for a single mistake the entire Delhi would have to pay a heavy price and allowing hookah consumption in public places may spread COVID-19 since people would be sharing itOn October 21 the court had directed the Delhi Police not to harass the petitioner restaurants and bars and not to park its vehicles outside their premisesThe court had said the police were free to do random checks in restaurants and bars to see if hookahs were being served but cant keep police personnel posted there as it will affect customersThe matter would be heard next on November 12 PTI ADS RKS KJ

New Delhi Oct 21 PTI The Delhi High Court Thursday directed the Delhi Police not to harass restaurants and bars which have filed pleas seeking permission to sell and serve herbal flavoured hookahs and not to park their vehicles outside their premisesThe court said the police can do random checks in restaurants and bars to see if hookahs are being served but cant keep police personnel posted there as it will affect customersJustice Rekha Palli took on record the statement by the counsel for Delhi Police that they will not park vehicles outside the premises subject to random checks by police and that the restaurants and bars will not serve hookahs till an order is passed by the court on their petitionsThe court was informed that the concerned department of the Delhi government has re-considered the August 3 2020 order of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority DDMA prohibiting the use of herbal hookah in public places to contain the spread of COVID-19 and the authorities have reiterated that the restriction would continueThe fresh order was passed by the authorities on October 14 reiterating the stand that prohibition on the use of hookah will continue to be enforced till further ordersThe high court directed the Delhi government to reconsider the matter within five days and in case they still feel prohibition is necessary an affidavit be filed in this regardIt listed the matter for further hearing on October 29The court had earlier issued notice and sought a response from the Delhi government on separate pleas by several restaurants and bars seeking to direct the state and police not to interfere with the sale of herbal flavoured hookahs or take coercive steps against themThe court had earlier also directed the authorities to reconsider the matter in view of changed circumstancesDuring the hearing the petitioners counsel said the October 14 order has been passed by the authorities on the presumption that hookah is being served in closed places and on sharing basisThe counsel said they were ready to make a statement that they will serve it only in open space and disposable pipes will be used in hookah and it will not be on sharing basisThe counsel further said though restaurants are providing other services also in order to harass them police have parked their vehicles outside the premises due to which very few customers are entering thereThe restaurants said they do not want to be harassed as it is having a deterrent effect on their business and they are not being able to earn a livelihoodOn September 17 the high court had asked the Delhi government why DDMAs order prohibiting the use of herbal hookah in public places to contain the spread of COVID-19 be not re-considered when breath analyser test was being allowed nowSeparate petitions were filed by Breath Fine Lounge and Bar TOS R High Speedbar and Lounge Verandah Moonshine and Sixth Empirica Lounge in West Punjabi Bagh challenging the order of the Joint Commissioner of Police Licensing Unit prohibiting and excluding the sale or service of herbal flavoured hookahs in restaurantbar being run by themThe pleas said the petitioners are serving herbal hookahs for which no licence is required as they are totally without tobacco but the police are still conducting raids seizing equipment and issuing challansThe petitioners counsel had earlier said as long as the restaurants undertake not to use nicotine in hookah they cannot be prohibited from carrying out their businessesThe pleas have sought to declare that definition of smoking under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act COTPA does not cover herbal flavoured hookahs and to direct the authorities not to take any extreme step of suspension or cancellation of registration certificate of the petitionersThe Delhi government has been opposing the pleas saying for a single mistake the entire Delhi would have to pay a heavy price and allowing hookah consumption in public places may spread COVID-19 since people would be sharing itThe Delhi government has said the use of hookah be it with or without tobacco in all public places including hotels restaurants eatery houses bars pubs and discotheques in the national capital is strictly prohibited as the use or sharing of hookah may further increase the spread of COVID-19Delhi government counsel had referred to the August 3 2020 order passed by the Health Department which observed that in public places use and sharing of hookah with and without tobacco herbal hookah may further increase the spread of coronavirusNow therefore in the exercise of powers conferred by the Delhi Epidemic Diseases COVID-19 Regulations 2020 under the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897 the use of hookah with or without tobacco that is herbal hookah water pipes and other hookahs like devices in all public places including hotels restaurants eatery houses bars pubs discotheques etc of the NCT of Delhi is strictly prohibited with immediate effect for the purpose of prevention and control of the outbreak of epidemic disease namely COVID-19 in NCT of Delhi the Delhi government order saidPTI SKV SKV RKS RKS

New Delhi Sep 17 PTI The Delhi High Court Friday asked the AAP government why its order prohibiting use of herbal hookah in public places to contain spread of COVID-19 be not re-considered when breath analyser test is being allowed nowThe high court issued notice and sought response of the Delhi government on five separate pleas by restaurants and bars seeking to direct the state and police not to interfere with the sale of herbal flavoured hookahs or take coercive steps against themIssue notice Delhi government counsel seeks time to get instructions as to why August 3 2020 order is not reconsidered when breath analyser test is being allowed now It is expected that DDMA will consider this aspect urgently Justice Rekha Palli said while listing the matter for further hearing on September 30The court said why should this order relating to ban on hookah be not reconsidered when Delhi Police has also started breath analyser testSeparate petitions were filed by Breath Fine Lounge and Bar TOS R High Speedbar and Lounge Verandah Moonshine and Sixth Empirica Lounge in West Punjabi Bagh challenging the order of Joint Commissioner of Police Licensing Unit prohibiting and excluding the sale or service of herbal flavoured hookahs in restaurant bar being run by themThe pleas said the petitioners are serving herbal hookahs for which no licence is required as they are totally without tobacco but the police is still conducting raids seizing equipments and issuing challansThe petitioners counsel submitted that in their restaurants they are providing single hookah and not the shared one and only about 5 to 10 per cent of guests visiting there are desirous of using hookahThe counsel said they have much more quantity of hookah than the requirement and since the authorities have re-commenced breath analyser test there is no reason why this activity be not allowedThe counsel named another lounge and bar and claimed that hookah service is going on there and the petitioners cannot be discriminated withThe pleas were opposed by Delhi government standing counsel Santosh Kumar Tripathi who said for a single mistake the entire Delhi would have to pay a heavy price and allowing hookah consumption in public places may spread COVID-19 since people would be sharing itHe further said herbal or non-herbal we are not allowing any type of hookah We are wearing mask even when we are driving car alone How can we allow hookah to be shared from one person to another Hookah is not that important our lives are more important When the petitioners counsel said she was giving an undertaking that each person will be using single hookah in the restaurant the Delhi government counsel said not even single hookah can be allowedThe Delhi government has said use of hookah be it with or without tobacco in all public places including hotels restaurants eatery houses bars pubs and discotheques in the national capital is strictly prohibited as use or sharing of hookah may further increase spread of COVID-19The petitioners counsel had earlier said as long as the restaurants undertake not to use nicotine in hookah they cannot be prohibited from carrying out their businessesThe pleas have sought to declare that definition of smoking under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act COTPA does not cover herbal flavoured hookahs and to direct the authorities not to take any extreme step of suspension or cancellation of registration certificate of the petitionersDelhi government counsel had referred to the August 3 2020 order passed by the Health Department which observed that in public places use and sharing of hookah with and without tobacco herbal hookah may further increase spread of coronavirusNow therefore in exercise of powers conferred by the Delhi Epidemic Diseases COVID-19 Regulations 2020 under the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897 the use of hookah with or without tobacco that is herbal hookah water pipes and other hookah like devices in all public places including hotels restaurants eatery houses bars pubs discotheques etc of the NCT of Delhi is strictly prohibited with immediate effect for the purpose of prevention and control of the outbreak of epidemic disease namely COVID-19 in NCT of Delhi the Delhi government order said PTI SKV SA