Kathmandu, March 3 -- Although the Pashupati Area Development Trust has announced to strictly ban illegal trade and consumption of marijuana for commoners during the Mahashivaratri festival, the ban is not being effectively followed.

The trust, in association with Nepal Police and other stakeholders, had said it would strictly enforce a ban on marijuana consumption and trade.

Smoking marijuana has become a norm of sorts for many commoners who visit the Pashupati temple on the day of Mahashivaratri, an annual festival celebrated to honour Lord Shiva, which will be observed this year on Monday. The trust on Friday announced that it has completed all the preparations for the festival.

The trust had declared Pashupati area a marijuana-free...