The SASB has prepared a menu for langar organisations, food stalls, shops and other establishments which come up along the yatra route. The SASB has prepared a menu for langar organisations, food stalls, shops and other establishments which come up along the yatra route.

Amarnath pilgrims will not get puri, halwa, pizza, burger or stuffed parantha this year as the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) has banned all fried/ fast food and cold drinks en route the holy shrine from both Baltal and Pahalgam in Kashmir Valley.

According to Pankaj Anand, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of SASB, the pilgrims will only be served items which are not fired and without butter. The distribution of cold drinks has also been banned, he said, adding that this followed recommendations by an expert committee comprising doctors. Sources said the Board has banned sale and distribution of oily food items as they lead to acclimatisation problems in low oxygen area at a height of nearly 13,500 ft above sea level. In an area where night temperature is sub zero, oily food leads to respiratory problems among pilgrims, said sources.

The experts’ committee was formed following the Supreme Court’s concern over the large number of pilgrim deaths in 2012. A record 130 pilgrims had died en route the cave shrine during the 39-day yatra that year. Though the number of pilgrim deaths has come down over subsequent years, the matter remains a cause of concern with 40 casualties last year.

To ensure that pilgrims do not have food-related health problems, the SASB has prepared a menu for langar organisations, food stalls, shops and other establishments which come up along the yatra route. The eatables permitted for distribution or sale include cereals, pulses, green vegetables, potato, soya chunks, besan curry, plain dal, green salad, fruits and sprouts.

Plain rice, zeera rice, khichri and nutrela rice, roti, dal roti, missi roti, makki ki roti (without oil or butter), bread jam, Kashmiri nan, tandoori roti, bread kulcha, samber, idli, uttampam, poha, steamed dumplings, herbal tea, coffee, low fat curd, sharbat, lemon squash/water, low fat milk, fruits juice, vegetable soup, mineral water, glucose, roasted papad, khakra, til ka ladoo, dhokla, dry petha and amla/fruit murabba are among other food items permitted by the Board.

The banned eatables include non-vegetarian food, alcohol, tobacco/gutka, pan masala and other intoxicants, besides heavy pullav/fried rice, puri, bathura, pizza, burgar, stuffed parantha, doda, pickle and cream-based food items, among others. Cold drinks, halwa, jalebi, gulab jamun, ladoo, khoya burfi and all other halwai items, besides crunchy snacks like chips, kurkure, mathi, namkeen mixture are fried dry fruit are also not permitted.

To ensure strict adherence of its menu, the Board has even asked the District Magistrates of Anantnag and Ganderbal to issue necessary orders under provisions of Ranbir Penal Code specifying penalties for any violation.

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