File photo used for representative purpose

NEW DELHI: The Union health ministry has decided to adopt healthy eating practices and so, from now onwards, all departments under the ministry will stop serving biscuits at office meetings and replace them with walnuts, almonds , dates, roasted gram and lahiya chana —a composition of puffed rice and roasted gram.

In a recent circular, the ministry said that starting immediately, “biscuits shall not be dispensed through the departmental canteen” and only “healthy snacks”, like roasted grams and dry fruits, will be served at meetings. It added, “The order issued earlier by the administrative division to not use plastic water bottles shall also be implemented in letter and spirit.” Union health minister Harsh Vardhan , who is a qualified doctor, has approved the decision.

Walnuts and almonds provide healthy fats, fibre, vitamins, minerals and are excellent sources of antioxidants. Dates have become more popular in recent years and these are high in calories since they are dried fruit.

The circular has proved to be popular among officers and staff and it is hoped that other ministries will follow the example. “The health ministry’s decision to stop the use of single-use plastic water bottle has become the template for many other ministries. Glass jars and recycled paper glasses are now being used in meetings. Now, other ministries can also follow what the health ministry has done in serving snacks,” said an official posted at Nirman Bhavan, which houses the health ministry.

The health ministry’s reiteration of the total ban on the use of water in single-use plastic bottles comes eight months after it issued an order to do away with what is considered a key source of pollution during meetings and conferences. The decision to stop the use of plastic bottles was taken in July last year after India hosted World Environment Day celebrations.

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