Lucknow: Ahead of the commencement of the nine-day Chaitra Navratri festival on Sunday, the Uttar Pradesh government has directed the closure of illegal slaughterhouses and a ban on the sale of meat within 500 metres of religious places.

Special restrictions will be imposed for Ram Navami on April 6, when animal slaughter and the sale of meat will be completely banned.

Principal Secretary of the Urban Development Department Amrit Abhijat has directed all the District Magistrates, Police Commissioners and Municipal Commissioners to immediately close the slaughterhouses and enforce the ban on meat sale near religious places, the UP government said in a statement on Saturday.

Citing the orders issued in 2014 and 2017, the Yogi Adityanath government has clarified that illegal animal slaughter and sale of meat near religious places will be completely prohibited.

To make this decision effective, district-level committees have been formed under the chairmanship of district magistrates. These will include officials from the police, Pollution Control Board, Animal Husbandry Department, Transport Department, Labour Department, Health Department and Food Safety Administration.

Under the provisions of the UP Municipal Corporation Act 1959 and the Food Safety Act 2006 and 2011, the Yogi Adityanath government has directed the officials to take strict punitive action against the violators, the statement said.

The nine-day Hindu festival of Navratri, dedicated to Goddess Durga, will commence on Sunday (March 30).