Mathura:The sale of liquor and non-vegetarian food has been made illegal in 22 wards under the jurisdiction of the Mathura-Vrindavan Municipal Corporation by the Yogi government declaring the places 'sacred place of pilgrimage' or 'Pavitra Teertha Sthal'.
During his visit to Mathura-Vrindavan for Janmashtami celebrations 10 days before, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had asked the district administration to initiate the process to ban meat and liquor in the vicinity of seven Hindu pilgrimage sites in the temple town.
He then called the,e decision the people's wish. Yogi had also promised to provide places for those people who have engaged in liquor and meat businesses near these pilgrimage sites.
The 22 wards part of this pilgrimage zone now 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, according to The Indian Express report.
The notification through which the district administration has declared the places 'holy' said that Mathura-Vrindavan has become sacred for being the birthplace of Lord Krishna and visited by lakhs of pilgrims from India and abroad.
The notification said Mathura-Vrindavan was "historically significant" and crucial from the point of view of tourism as well.