This is an archive article published on April 26, 2022
Driver caught smoking, Haryana to shell out Rs 80,000
The order was made by the Bench of Raj Shekhar Attri (President), Padma Panday (Member) and Rajesh K Arya (Member), while hearing the four appeals of Ashok Kumar Prajapat of Hisar, who had complained that a driver of a Haryana Transport was smoking when he was travelling in it.
4 min readChandigarhUpdated: Apr 26, 2022 08:11 AM IST
The Bench held that Dr Gulshan Cherwal, who appeared on behalf of the Health Department of Haryana, also failed to give a satisfactory answer to the query raised by the Bench, with regard to passive smoking in buses.
Stating that “the ill-effects of second-hand smoke can be equally detrimental to the health of a person who happens to be present near the smoker,” the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has allowed the four appeals of a Haryana resident, and penalised the director general Haryana State Transport and the financial commissioner, Haryana Health Department, directing it to pay Rs 80,000 to PGIMER, Chandigarh.
The order was made by the Bench of Raj Shekhar Attri (President), Padma Panday (Member) and Rajesh K Arya (Member), while hearing the four appeals of Ashok Kumar Prajapat of Hisar, who had complained that a driver of a Haryana Transport was smoking when he was travelling in it.
Prajapat had alleged in his complaint that the incident made him uncomfortable. He requested the driver to stop smoking as it is banned in public places and transport. The driver stopped smoking and the conductor assured that he would not allow the driver to smoke in the bus in future. The matter was then taken up with the higher authorities, who, after conducting an enquiry, imposed a fine of Rs 200 only upon the driver. The complaint at the Chandigarh Consumer Commission was dismissed, following which Prajapat filed an appeal at the State Commission.
The Commission Bench said, “In our opinion, imposing a petty fine of Rs 200 upon a person and that too, a driver of a bus, is not enough. The department ought to have taken severe and stringent action against the said driver, who violated rules and regulations and made mockery thereof and the system also. It seems that the disrespect for social and moral values is no issue for the driver. What is more startling is that the Haryana Transport Department is not devising any mechanism to stop such absurd action occurring in the buses by their own drivers and conductors. Such ill practices, among our own society, should be stopped…In our concerted opinion, such a defaulter should be awarded austere punishment by the Department.”
The Bench held that Dr Gulshan Cherwal, who appeared on behalf of the Health Department of Haryana, also failed to give a satisfactory answer to the query raised by the Bench, with regard to passive smoking in buses. However, Cherwal admitted that smoking in buses is hazardous for the passengers.
The Bench further said that the respondents being competent authorities have failed to take necessary steps to ensure that there is no smoking by their staff or by the general public, at public places. As a result, the appellant was caused a lot of inconvenience, harassment and agony. “the only way to protect our friends and families from second hand smoke is to keep the environment around them smoke free. Most second hand smoke is invisible and odourless, so no matter how careful you think you’re being, people around you still breathe in the harmful poisons. The ill-effects of second-hand smoke can be equally detrimental to the health of a person who happens to be present near the smoker, particularly in young children, adolescents and women. Passive smoking involves inhaling toxic components and various carcinogens and also contagious viruses, which are present in second hand smoke,” said the Bench.
The Bench made clear that Rs 20,000, has to be paid to the PGIMER, Chandigarh, in each case (four appeals), which will be used for treatment and care of cancer patients.
Jagpreet Singh Sandhu is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. He is a veteran reporter with over a decade of experience, specializing in legal, crime, and environmental reporting across the tri-city area (Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula).
Professional Background
Core Beat: He primarily covers the Punjab and Haryana High Court, District Courts, CBI Courts, and Consumer Commissions. His legal reporting is known for breaking down complex judgments and tracking long-standing criminal cases.
Environmental Reporting: Jagpreet has become a key voice in reporting on the deteriorating air quality and weather patterns in the Punjab-Haryana region.
Crime & Technology: He frequently reports on cybercrime, digital arrest scams, and the intersection of technology and law enforcement, such as the development of citizen-centric policing apps.
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
His late 2025 coverage has focused on significant judicial verdicts, major financial scams, and public health concerns:
1. Legal & CBI Court Verdicts
"12 years on, CBI court acquits Haryana judge, parents in wife’s death case" (Dec 17, 2025): Detailed coverage of the acquittal of a judicial officer in a high-profile dowry death case from 2013.
"‘Wicked & evil mind’: Court gives man 30-year term for kidnapping, sexually assaulting 8-year-old" (Dec 16, 2025): A report on a stern judgment from a Chandigarh district court in a POCSO case.
"Man acquitted in rape case after victim found ‘very happy’ in wedding reception" (Dec 9, 2025): Covering a unique legal observation regarding consensual relationships and age verification.
2. Investigative & Scams
"CBI registers FIR in Rs 1.14-cr Patient Welfare Grant scam at PGIMER" (Dec 19, 2025): An exposé on how funds meant for poor patients were siphoned off through forged documents and a photocopy shop inside the PGIMER campus.
"Month-long torture, Rs 85 lakh transfers: How ‘Innocence Certificate’ led to a ‘digital arrest’ of an elderly couple" (Dec 12, 2025): Detailing a sophisticated cyber fraud targeting senior citizens in Chandigarh.
3. Environment & Public Safety
"Panchkula air turns ‘very poor’, fourth worst in country" (Dec 22, 2025): Reporting on the sudden spike in pollution levels in Panchkula compared to neighbouring cities.
"Soon, you can snap that overspeeding car, and report to Chandigarh Police" (Dec 16, 2025): Breaking news on a new mobile application being developed to allow citizens to report traffic violations via geo-tagged photos.
4. Gangster Culture & Crime
"City Beautiful in the crosshairs of gangsters" (Dec 14, 2025): A feature analysis of how Chandigarh has increasingly become a staging ground for extortion and rivalries between gangster modules.
"Shooters wanted for Parry murder held by Delhi Police Special Cell" (Dec 18, 2025): Following the developments in a high-profile murder case in Chandigarh’s Sector 26.
Signature Style
Jagpreet is recognized for his tenacious follow-up on cold cases and his ability to report on courtroom drama with a focus on victim rights. His work often highlights administrative lapses, whether in the handling of patient welfare funds or the enforcement of environmental standards. ... Read More
