Minister for Public Works and Highways E.V. Velu on Sunday said that the State government cannot ban the operation of non-vegetarian hotels along the 14-km-long Girivalam path at Arunachaleswarar temple in Tiruvannamalai town.
The State government cannot interfere on what kind of food can be consumed by visitors to the temple town because it is the personal choice of an individual. Instead, he said that the owners of non-vegetarian hotels on the path should voluntarily close the outlets on the path and restrict their business in the main areas of the town.
“The choice of food is the preference of an individual. No one can interfere with it. At present, such non-vegetarian hotels on the path close their outlets during Pournami days, twice a month,” Mr. Velu said.
