Patna, Feb. 24 -- Bihar's cities and towns will shut down meat and fish shops near schools, temples and other crowded public places, deputy chief minister Vijay Kumar Sinha said on Monday, barely a week after announcing a statewide ban on the sale of such products from unlicensed outlets. Sinha, speaking to journalists just a day earlier, had gone a step further, linking open sale and consumption of non-vegetarian food to "violent tendencies" among young people and children. Talking to HT on Sunday, he said: "All local bodies have been asked to enforce the department's order to ban meat shops near schools and sacred religious places. The order has to be complied with in letter and spirit." According to the NFHS-5, about 80% of the state's population have non-vegetarian food. Speaking in the legislative council on Thursday, Sinha had said, "There will now be a complete ban on selling meat openly anywhere in urban areas. Getting a licence under Section 345 is compulsory." Sinha had described the move as the "new government's new initiative" that showed "the changing face of Bihar". In a meeting with intellectuals on Sunday, he had said the decision was taken after listening to concerns raised during public welfare dialogues. On Saturday, principal secretary of the urban development and housing department, Vinay Kumar, shot off letters to all municipal commissioners, executive officers of nagar parishads and nagar panchayats across the state, ordering them to strictly enforce licensing rules and put an immediate end to illegal and open sales. Kumar pointed out that many urban bodies were turning a blind eye to shops running without permission - a clear violation of Section 345 of the Bihar Municipal Act, 2007. "Meat is being sold openly in unhygienic conditions... these outlets are right next to religious places, schools and busy public spots," the letter noted. Rashtriya Janata Dal MLA Bhai Birendra said the decision to ban meat shops near schools and religious places was taken to target a particular community....