Cracking down on ‘hookah bars’, the city police today told the Delhi High Court that itssenior officers will conduct raids to ensure that anti-smoking laws are enforced against restaurants which illegally run such
joints in the city.
The DCPs have been asked to conduct raids in restaurants where hookah bars are being run,” Najmi Waziri, counsel for Delhi police, told a bench of Acting Chief Justice A K Sikri and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw.
Civic bodies — NDMC and MCD — also told the court that they have not provided licenses to restaurants to run
‘hookah’ bars.
The court, meanwhile, asked MCD and Delhi Government to file their replies within two days to the PIL filed by NGO World Lung Foundation South Asia through its president G R Khatri seeking “effective” implementation of anti-smoking laws at public places and preventing restaurants from running ‘hookah’ bars.
However, National Restaurants Association of India today moved an application seeking its impleadment as a party in ongoing hearing of the PIL.
We are the necessary party and we be heard also,” Lalit Bhasin, appearing restaurants’ body, said. The plea was
allowed by the bench which asked it to file reply to the PIL and fixed the matter for hearing on September 5.
Earlier, the court had issued notices to the Central Health Ministry, Delhi Government, MCD, NDMC and Police on the PIL.
The NGO, in its plea, has sought to effectively implement the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement … and Distribution) Act (COTPA) and the Prohibition of Smoking in Public Places Rules.
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