�Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav on Monday said that his government was seriously planning to ban sale of alcohol in the ‘holy’ cities in the state to protect their religious sanctity.
Mr Yadav said that the initiative to declare prohibition in the religious cities was being taken in view of complaints received from different quarters that the sale of alcohol in these areas have a negative impact on the religious environment in these cities.
The seers and sadhus have also recommended imposition of restrictions on the sale of alcohol in the religious cities, he said.
“The state government is seriously considering shutting down all the alcohol outlets operating in the religious cities in Madhya Pradesh and necessary changes would be made in the excise policy to enforce the decision”, Mr Yadav said.
The chief minister indicated that the alcohol outlets in the religious cities would be shifted to the outskirts of these cities to make up for the revenue losses caused by the move.
The state government has accorded 17 cities in Madhya Pradesh the status of ‘religious cities’ between 2004-2013.
They are Ujjain (for Mahakaleshwar temple), Amarkantak (for being the origin of river Narmada), Maheshwar (home to an ancient Shiva temple on the bank of Narmada), Orchha (for Ramraja temple), Omkareshwar (for Omkareshwar shrine), Mandla (for being situated on bank of Narmada), Multai (for being situated on bank of river Tapti), Datia (home to famous Peetambara Peeth), Jabalpur (for Narmada Ghat), Chitrokoot (for Ram Ghat), Maihar (for Sharda shrine), Salkanpur (for Bijasan shrine), Mandaleshwar (Narmada Ghat), Mandsaur (for Pasupatinath shrine), Barman (Narmada Ghat), and Panna (for Jugal Kishore temple).
The state government has earlier banned the sale of liquor and non-vegetarian food near the temples in the state.
