The Uttar Pradesh government yesterday, on September 10, declared an area of 10 square kilometres around the location that is believed to be the birthplace of Lord Krishna in Mathura-Vrindavan as a pilgrimage site and banned the sale of liquor and meat in the area. The marked area comprises 22 wards of the Mathura Nagar Nigam.
“The Uttar Pradesh government on Friday (September 10) declared 10 sq km area under Mathura Nagar Nigam a teerth sthal (pilgrimage spot). The area comprises 22 municipal wards of the municipality. This automatically means that meat and liquor cannot be sold in the area,” Navneet Sehgal, additional chief secretary, information department, Uttar Pradesh was quoted as saying.
This move came 10 days after state Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath imposed a complete ban on the sale of meat and liquor in Mathura on the occasion of Janmashtami on August 30. The state government assured that people engaged in selling meat or liquor would be rehabilitated in an organised way.
In his address on August 30, CM Adityanath also advised the liquor and meat sellers to start milk trade. He said that trading in milk would help Mathura regain its ‘lost glory’ of being a high milk-producer.
Meanwhile, Additional Chief Secretary Avnish Kumar Awasthi issued a detailed order mentioning 22 wards to be included in the ‘teerth sthal’. These wards are Ghati Bahalrai, Govind Nagar, Mandi Ramdas, Chaubiyapada, Dwarikapuri, Navneet Nagar, Bankhandi, Bharatpur Gate, Arjunpura, Hanuman Tila, Jagannath Puri, Gaughat, Manoharpura, Bairajpura, Radhanagar, Badarinagar, Mahavidyacolony, Krishnanagar first and second, Koyala Gali, Dampiyar Nagar and Jai Singh Pura.
