Chandigarh, Sept. 11 -- The Panchkula municipal corporation has declared the Mata Mansa Devi Complex a "holy area" to impose a comprehensive ban on slaughtering of animals and sale of meat products around the historical shrine. Through the fresh order, issued by municipal commissioner RK Singh, the civic body has reintroduced the ban originally notified by the Haryana government in December 2022, but stayed by the Punjab and Haryana high court in April 2023 on the plea of local business owners. Subsequent to the high court order, the state government in February this year had withdrawn its 2022 notification. A notice declaring the "holy area" order's withdrawal was issued by the Haryana urban local bodies department on February 20, 2025. But the then Panchkula municipal commissioner, deriving powers under the Haryana Municipal Corporation Act, proposed a fresh prohibition on slaughtering, sale and purchase of meat and meat products in the area. Through a February 25 public notice, then commissioner Aparajita had invited objections within a month. Nearly seven months later, the civic body has reintroduced the ban in pursuance of a September 29, 2022, resolution and in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 333 (4) of the Haryana Municipal Corporation Act, 1994, officials said. Justice Vinod Bhardwaj of the high court on April 17, 2023, had stayed the operation of the "holy area" order after the petitioners contended that it did not refer to any statutory provision in exercise of which such a declaration can be issued. The petitioners, which included local restaurateurs and shopkeepers, contended that in the absence of invocation of any such substantive power, the enforcement of restraint against the petitioners from carrying on their business was violative of the rights granted to them. The petitioners said they were duly issued licences by the competent authority to deal in the sale and purchase of meat and meat products in the said area, and that they were carrying out business as per law. The holy area demarcated included the commercial zones in Mansa Devi Complex as well. Newly appointed deputy commissioner (DC) Satpal Sharma also announced that no encroachments will be permitted on and around the premises of the Mansa Devi Temple. On Wednesday, he chaired a crucial meeting to address the removal of encroachments from land belonging to the Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) and MC near the temple. Sharma stated that the decision followed clear directives from chief minister Nayab Singh Saini during a recent meeting of the Mata Mansa Devi Shrine Board. The goal is to make the temple premises completely free of encroachments to preserve its grandeur. He instructed officials to take the necessary action while ensuring that the public was not inconvenienced during the process. Additionally, the DC reviewed preparations for the upcoming Ashwin Navratri fair, which begins on September 22....