Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati has opposed the Odisha government’s move to set up beach shacks on the Puri beach to serve liquor to tourists.

Supporting Saraswati and opposing the government’s proposal to set up the beach shacks, various organisations on Wednesday held protest rallies in front of the 12th century Puri Shree Jagannath temple and submitted a memorandum to the Puri district collector.

Condemning the move, Govardhana Peetha Shankaracharya Swami Nishalananda Saraswati said: “Puri is a holy place. It’s known for its spiritualy. Setting up beach shacks will be a disgrace to its spiritual sanctity. It will bring a bad name to Jagannath culture. We do Bhajan, Kirtan, and evening aarti on the seashore. We need not to pollute this atmosphere.”

The seer said: “It’s a place for spiritual pursuit and religious discourse. The proposal in any form is not acceptable.”

What irked the seer is that Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) has invited bids to set up beach shacks along the coastline, initially from Puri to Konark to promote beach tourism. As per the excise policy, the beach shacks would be set up on beaches, rivers and nearby lakes to promote tourism.

“For tourism promotions, serving liquor in beach shacks is allowed in Odisha,” said the policy.

“On the beach, the activity is mostly concentrated in the evening. For the entire day, the tourists on the sea beach will be bored. We need to engage them. Most tourists want liquor to be served to them. If we can extend their stay for two hours only, the tourists flow will increase by 10 per cent,” sources in the tourism department said. He also cited how the shacks are an integral part of beach life in Goa.

In 2021, the Odisha tourism department had planned to set up beach shacks at six places of the state, including Puri sea beach. But following the protest, it had withdrawn from the proposal.

Convenor, Odisha Nisha Nishanibarana Abhiyana (organisation demanding liquor ban) Padma Charan Nayak (80), said: “We need to oppose the liquor trade in Puri. It’s known as the land of Jagannath. This land is Deba Bhumi. We will not allow any government to destroy the spiritual atmosphere of Puri.”

Puri collector Siddharth Shankar Swain told reporters, “We have received memorandums from different organisations opposing the setting up of beach shacks. We have got their feedback. We will take up the issue with the state government.”