India, March 21 -- The Haryana government's directorate of urban local bodies on Thursday directed authorities to step up enforcement against unlicensed meat shops across all 22 districts and conduct inspection drives to immediately close such shops.

The directorate also asked the authorities to submit an action taken report within one week.

"It has also been observed with concern that some such establishments are functioning in proximity to religious places and other public areas, thereby causing public nuisance, sanitation concerns, and inconvenience to the general public," the order read.

On Friday, teams from the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), along with the local police, began inspections near temples, schools, and colle...