BHOPAL: The state government has decided to set up resort bars in religious places to fill in its empty coffers.
Orchha, Chitrakoot and Maihar will also be included in the list of those places where such bars will be set up.
The previous government could not stop the sale of meat and liquor in religious towns, but the present ruling dispensation is encouraging its sale in those places.
A proposal was made to ban sale of liquor and meat in religious towns, but it was put off after some communities resented at it.
The Cabinet decided to allow opening of resorts a few months ago, and the tourism department made a list of places where such resort bars will be open.
Maihar and Chitrakoot have been included in the list as religious tourist spots.
Besides the three holy cities, the tourism department has included Sanchi, Bhimbetka, Khajuraho, Mandu, Panchmarhi, Tamia, Patalkot and Udayagiri in the list.
Gandhi Sagar, Twa dam, Bansagar dam, Manikheda, Chandapatha dam, Gangau dam, Man dam, Jobat Phata dam, Govindgarh lake, Machagora dam, Sampna dam and Dholagar lake have been included in the list as water tourism spots.
BJP MLA, Rameshwar Sharma, said, “The government is not only suffering from lack of funds but also from lack of knowledge about cultural heritage.”
Consequently, it is planning to open resort bars in holy cities, and the BJP will oppose it, he said, adding that government’s policy to encourage sale of liquor will not be tolerated.
