Odisha govt to ban non-veg food, liquor near Jagannath temple in Puri: Minister
Bhubaneswar (PTI): The Odisha government will ban the sale of non-vegetarian food and liquor within a 2-km radius of the Jagannath temple in Puri, said Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan.
Speaking to reporters, he said the decision is part of the state government's broader initiative to preserve the sanctity of the holy town.
"A complete ban on the sale of meat and liquor, including in bars, within a 2-km radius of the Jagannath temple will be enforced," said Harichandan, who is also the excise minister.
"There will be no liquor shop or bar on the Grand Road. Besides, sale of meat and non-veg items will also be banned on the Grand Road, which connects Jagannath temple to Gundicha temple," he said.
However, the minister did not state when the ban would come into force.
He said the government was also planning to bring uniformity in the height and facade of all buildings along the Grand Road.
The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) earlier urged the Housing and Urban Development Department to frame norms for uniform architectural designs for buildings around the temple.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
