Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has instructed officials to prohibit meat and alcohol consumption in and around religious towns along the Narmada River, which is vital to the state.
The river flows through 21 districts, 68 tehsils, 1,138 villages, and 1,126 ghats, and is home to 430 ancient Shiva temples and two shakti peeths.
In a meeting on Friday, Yadav emphasised the need to prioritise environmental protection in Amarkantak, Anuppur district, the river's source. He stressed that meat and liquor consumption should be banned in religious towns and along the riverbanks, and future developments should be planned away from the river's origin. He also called for the prevention of sewage discharge into the river and set deadlines for these actions.
Yadav urged the use of advanced technologies for solid waste management and the deployment of satellite and drone systems to monitor river activities. He highlighted the need to ban machine-based mining and noted that the Narmada is unique for its 'parikrama' (circumambulation) by devotees.
To boost religious tourism, Yadav proposed developing a 'parikrama path' in phases, supported by local panchayats and committees. He encouraged the establishment of homestays and food arrangements through self-help groups and local youth for devotees undertaking the river's parikrama.
The Narmada spans 1,312 kilometres, with 1,079 km in Madhya Pradesh.
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