GAYA, Feb. 16 -- JI

The ongoing construction of new Buddhist monasteries and the reconstruction or additions to existing monasteries in Bodh Gaya have been halted with immediate effect.

Following the consistent complaints that the monasteries are being used for commercial purposes and their construction is not obtaining the approval of the local municipal body and also in light of a civil writ petition filed by the Bodh Gaya Hotel Association in Patna high court, a meeting was held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Bihar to resolve the issue, officials said.

Gaya district magistrate (DM) Shashank Shubhankar constituted a four-member inquiry committee under the Additional Collector, Law and Order, Gaya, to probe the monasteries ...