Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 11: All fried and high calorie food items have been taken off the menu to be served to pilgrims during the Amarnath Yatra this year and the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board has prescribed the food menu to be served by the Langar Organizations.
“All fried and high calorie fatty items like poori, bhatoora, pizza, burger, stuffed parantha, dosa and fried roti, bread butter, cream/butter based food, and all other fried/fast food, cold drinks, high caloric sweet dishes like kharran, jalebi, gulab jamun, burfi, crunchy snacks (high in fat and salts) and intoxicants have been banned,” CEO, SASB, Navin K Choudhary said.
He, however, said that high protein food, which provides stamina and keeps body light, have been permitted to be served to the Yatris. These food items include cereals, pulses, patato, saag, soya chunks, besan curry, plain dal, green salad, fruits, boiled noodles, sprouts, tandoori roti, vegetable soup, kheer, dry fruits etc.
Governor N N Vohra, who is also Chairman of SASB, has asked CEO to ensure effective implementation of the expert advice received and revise the terms and conditions of the langar permissions to bind the officials to serve food to the yatris strictly in accordance with the menu.
The CEO informed that the Special High Powered Committee constituted by the Supreme Court had earlier observed that a large number of food items included in the menu of langar organisations were not suitable for the pilgrims, who are required to trek in high altitude areas.
It had recommended that an expert committee should prepare an appropriate food menu to be adhered to by the langar organisations, he said.
The food menu has been formulated by the committee comprising Navin K Choudhary, Chief Executive Officer, SASB, Col. Rajul Gupta (High Altitude Medicine Specialist) from Union Health Ministry, Dr Jahangir Bakshi and Dr Sham Gopal from the J&K State Health Department in its meeting held on January 7, 2013 at Jammu.
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