BHUBANESWAR: Leader of Opposition Pradipta Kumar Naik on Tuesday urged Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to declare a total ban on sale and consumption of liquor and non-vegetarian food along ‘Bada Danda’ (Grand Road) at Puri.
In a letter to the Chief Minister, the senior BJP leader said Shree Jagannath Dhama Puri is one of the Char Dhams for Hindus. “There are many hotels on both sides of Bada Danda wherein non-vegetarian items are sold. Even, there are hotels where liquor is served much to the discontentment of devotees visiting Puri for darsan of Lord Jagannath,” Naik said.
Expressing his gratitude to the Chief Minister for undertaking the beautification programme around the Jagannath Temple, Naik said this initiative of the Government is attracting a large number of pilgrims to the Holy Town. “I request you to kindly take necessary steps to ban sale of non-vegetarian food and liquor in hotels along the Grand Road from Jagannath Temple to Mausima Mandir at the earliest,” the letter said.
Implementation of a master plan for development of Shree Jagannath Temple by the State Government has led to clearing of all obstructions around it. Puri has been chosen as heritage city for holistic development under HRIDAY scheme.