VARANASI, March 19 -- All shops selling meat, poultry and fish within Varanasi Nagar Nigam (VNN) limits will remain closed during Navratri beginning Thursday. This follows a decision taken at a meeting chaired by mayor Ashok Kumar Tiwari, officials said. According to VNN public relations officer Sandeep Srivastava, the civic body has around 100 wards with nearly 450 such shops - including about 200 chicken outlets, 200 mutton shops and 50 fish sellers. Teams from the Nagar Nigam will inspect the city starting Thursday, and any shop found open will be shut, a senior official said. Local traders said they would comply with the directive. Fakir Khan, a meat seller from Bhelupur, said he would keep his shop closed, while fish seller Faruq also confirmed adherence to the order. Officials noted that a similar restriction was enforced during the previous Navratri also. Meanwhile, the mayor also issued directives to ensure civic readiness for the festival. He ordered inspection and repair of roads leading to temples, regular lime sprinkling for sanitation, and strict monitoring to prevent sewer overflow. VNN commissioner Himanshu Nagpal asked officials to work in close coordination to ensure smooth arrangements during the festival.htc...