New Delhi: A Haryana roadways driver has landed in trouble after a video showing him smoking Hookah while driving through Delhi went viral on social media websites.
The video, shot by motorists who were driving alongside the bus, showed the driver holding the hookah in one hand and steering the bus with his other hand while going at a high speed on a busy highway.
The video doing the rounds on social media caught the attention of the Delhi government, which lodged a complaint with the transport commissioners of Delhi and Haryana.
Taking note of the video, additional director (Health department) of Delhi, Dr S K Arora noted that the driver was smoking hookah "very proudly" without any fear while passing through the national capital.
In his letter, Arora said as seen in the video, the driver of the Haryana roadways violated the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) 2003.
"This is to bring to your kind notice that we have come to know through social media that a driver of Haryana Roadways Bus No HR55W 9038 has been violating laws during his driving very proudly without any fear while passing through Delhi."
"Smoking hookah in public service vehicle therefore violating Section 4 of COTPA 2003," Dr Arora said in his letter.
He said that by smoking hookah while driving, the driver is putting the lives of passengers at risk. He also said that there is a display of Pataka tea advertisement on the bus which is a violation of Section 5 of COTPA as this is surrogate advertisement of tobacco, Pataka Bidi.
"For this advertisement, the violation is being committed by Pataka group of companies and Haryana Roadways. It is worth mentioning that such advertisements are strategies of tobacco companies to attract minors and females. In view of all these, it is requested to take stringent action as needed as per law," Dr Arora said in the letter.
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