No Junk Food permitted during Amarnath Yatra

New Delhi: No junk food like Halwa, puri, samosas, jalebi, gulam jamun will be allowed during the Amarnath Yatra that would begin on July 1. But South Indian delicacies like Idli, Uttapam, Poha Sambar and cereals, pulses, green vegetables, green salad, fruits and sprouts, rice, jaggery, herbal tea, coffee, low fat curd, sharbat, lemon squash/water, figs, raisins, apricots, and other dry fruits will be permitted.

Stating this Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) said on Sunday that the banned food items include poori, bathura, pizza, burgar, stuffed parantha, dosa, fried Roti, bread with butter, cream based foods, pickle, chutney, fried papad, chowmein and all other fried / fast foods, cold drinks and karrah halwa, jalebi, gulab jamun, laddu, khoya burfi, rasgulla and all other halwai items besides snacks (high in fat and salts) chips/kurkure, matthi, namkeen mixture, pakora, samosa, fried dry fruits and all other deep fried items. It also included non vegetarian foods, alcohol, tobacco, gutka, pan masala, cigarettes, other intoxicants.

SASB officials said that over 120 langars (community Kitchens) are being established this year for the pilgrims along the twin routes of Pahalgam and Baltal leading to the cave shrine.

"Focusing on the health of the pilgrims, SASB has released a list of permitted and banned meals, food items at 'langars' and made it clear that no junk and fried food will be allowed to be served at around 120 langars," an official said.

Moreover, Director Health Services Jammu and Kashmir have directed all concerned officials not to sanction or forward leave applications of doctors and para medical staff during the period of yatra.