The Delhi High Court on Thursday expressed displeasure over the city government’s “silence” on whether prohibition order on sale of herbal flavoured hookahs at restaurants and pubs has been reconsidered by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA).
The High Court said it had on September 17 specifically directed the Delhi government to ask the DDMA to reconsider its August 3, 2020 order prohibiting the use of herbal hookah in public places to contain the spread of COVID-19.
‘Not permissible’
“Unfortunately even though the respondent [Delhi government] has filed an affidavit trying to justify why the sale of flavoured hookah is not permissible, there is no whisper if the decision has been reconsidered by the DDMA or not,” Justice Rekha Palli said.
The court granted one week’s time to the Delhi government while directing it to file an affidavit specifically stating whether the DDMA has reconsidered the order and also reasons for continuing with the decision.
The court will hear the case again on October 8.
On September 17, the High Court had asked the Delhi government why the DDMA’s order prohibiting the use of herbal hookah in public places to contain the spread of COVID-19 be not reconsidered when breath analyser test was being allowed now.
The court was hearing separate pleas by restaurants and bars seeking to direct the State and the police not to interfere with the sale of herbal flavoured hookahs or take coercive steps against them.
