Varanasi, July 23: An order imposing taxes on Ganga Aarti and other religious and cultural events held on banks of Ganga river in Varanasi has been withdrawn within 24 hours of its issuance. No registration fee will be charged from Pande who perform last rites. The order was rolled back after the state minister for religious affairs, Neelkanth Tiwari, spoke to Varanasi Municipal Commissioner Gaurang Rathi. Seers had strongly objected to the order which was issued by the municipal corporation of Varanasi. Despite Scorching Heat, Ganga Ghat Falls Silent in Varanasi Due to Lockdown.

The civic body had imposed a tax on religious, social and cultural programmes at the Ganga ghat. It had also asked seers and religious preachers dwelling in huts on the riverbank to pay a registration fee. For maintaining the Ganga river and its front, the municipal body had decided to impose heft fines on those encroaching and littering the riverbank. However, the seers in Varanasi opposed this move and demanded its withdrawal.

Under the now-withdrawn order, the Varanasi municipal corporation said that the religious preachers and purohits sitting at the Ganga ghat will have to pay a nominal registration charge of Rs 100 annually. It had levied a fee of Rs 500 per day for performing any religious ritual at the Ganga ghat. For cultural programmes, the fee was Rs 4,000. Year-long events would attract Rs 5,000 annually, the civic body had said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 23, 2020 10:06 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).