No alcohol, meat served at halls named after saints: MCD

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has decided to strictly enforce the ban on alcohol as well as non-vegetarian delicacies at weddings and functions held in halls named after religious leaders, or are located inside the temple premises.

The first place it will crack down on is the Mahavir Vatika Community Hall, located in Daryaganj, where the ban on meat and drinks is said to be violated openly.

The matter came to light after Mehmud Ziah, the councillor of Baazar Sita Ram near Daryaganj, raised the issue at a meeting last week. He complained that non-vegetarian delicacies and alcohol are served at Mahavir Vatika in Daryaganj, which goes against the teachings of the Jain leader after whom the park is named.

Ziah demanded that the authorities either rename the park or ensure that alcohol and non-vegetarian delicacies are not served.

“The Standing Committee has taken cognizance of the complaint and the guidelines will be changed soon. Whenever someone comes to book the hall, they will have to give in writing that no alcohol and meat will be served,” said Yogender Chandolia, Chairman of the MCD Standing Committee.

Acharya Lokesh Muni gets national integration award

New Delhi, Jan 25 (IANS) Delhi-based writer, orator and social worker Acharya Lokesh Muni has been named for the national award for promotion of communal harmony and national integration for the year 2010.
'The National Communal Harmony Award for the year 2010 will be conferred on Muni of Delhi,' the government said Tuesday.


Muni was chosen by the jury headed by Vice President Hamid Ansari.


The award instituted in 1996 is given in recognition of the efforts of individuals and organisations for promotion of communal harmony and national integration.


The jury did not find any organisation suitable for this award for the year 2010.


The award carries a citation and Rs.2 lakh for the individual.


Muni, 49, is a writer, orator and social worker. He is the chief functionary of Ahimsa Vishwa Bharati, a Delhi based voluntary organisation that aims at promoting non-violence, peace, communal harmony, working against female foeticide and drug addiction.


He worked to de-escalate Hindu-Muslim strife after the Jama Masjid explosion in 2006-07 and tension between Dera Sacha Sauda and the Sikh community in 2007 and also participated in a 1,500-km walk from Haryana to Gujarat to promote communal harmony.


Muni studied Jainism, Buddhism and Vedic philosophy and has 12 books to his credit on subjects like female foeticide, terrorism, principles of peace and brotherhood.


For his academic pursuits, the Indian Board of Alternative Medicines awarded him the PhD. He has also been honoured with the Naitik Samman by the Gulzarilal Nanda Foundation and Bhaskar Puraskar by Bharat Nirman Sangathan for his contribution in restoring human values of peace and brotherhood.