Sale of alcohol and meat continues within the 2 km radius of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple

Municipality’s action proves to be ineffective

Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) – The Municipality has taken up a drive to forbid sale of alcohol and meat within the 2 km radius of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple; but this drive seems to remain only on paper. It has been found that selling of meat continues behind a green curtain in more than 100 shops in the Benia Bagh, Nai Sarak, and Dalmandi areas which fall within the 2 km radius of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple.

Municipal Corporation’s ineffectivity.

Meat and liquor shops continue to operate inside the prohibited periphery of 2 kms from Kashi Vishwanath Temple.

👉Instead of uprooting the problem if the authorities are only pretentious at deploying regulations, then the law abiding… pic.twitter.com/5K74N1Ublg

— Sanatan Prabhat (@SanatanPrabhat) March 4, 2024

1. It has been 45 days since the proposal was passed by the Municipality. Still, meat and alcohol are openly being sold in shops at Nai Sarak, Dalmandi, Benia Bagh, Revdi Talab, Madanpura, Tilbhandeshwar, Ashfaq Nagar and Soniya.

2. The Municipal Administration, within two days of passing the proposal, closed the shops at Benia Bagh, Hadha Sarai, New Road, and Dalmandi. But on 3 ^rd March, it was seen that this action has not been effective. At 1 p.m., on New Road, meat was being sold near hotel Lav Kush. There was a cloth curtain covering the shop. The shopkeepers were standing in front of their shops and attending to the customers. At 1:30 p.m., people were seen buying meat at the shops in Revadi Talab. A traffic jam was created as meat buyers parked vehicles on the street.

3. The municipal officers said that the licence for selling alcohol is given by the Excise Department. The Municipality has sent a proposal to close these shops to the Government. If this proposal is accepted, along with the ban on meat sale, there will be a ban on sale of alcohol too within the 2 km radius of the Kashi Viswanath Temple.

The shops selling meat have been closed after passing the proposal to ban meat sale within the 2 km radius. Acton will be taken against those who reopen the shops. The right to close the alcohol shops is with the Excise Department – Dr Ajay Pratap Singh, Municipal Veterinary officer.

The number of shops within the radius of 2 km

Shops selling poultry : 105
Alcohol shops : 37
Hotels and Restaurants selling meat : 45

Editorial Perspective

Was the Municipality’s action just for a show ? The citizens should demand answers from the administration which is handling the matter superficially and not going to the root of the matter !