FDA asks hoteliers to reduce use of single-use plastic, oil, salt and sugar during Char Dham Yatra
PIONEER NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun
Under the Green Char Dham Yatra theme, the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) has asked hoteliers along the Char Dham Yatra route to cooperate in reducing the use of single-use plastic, oil, salt and sugar.
This initiative aligns with the appeal made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the directives of chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the FDA commissioner R Rajesh Kumar said. The FDA has started conducting dialogue and training sessions with hotel and food business operators before the commencement of the Yatra.
The goal is to ensure clean food options and promote environmentally responsible practices along the pilgrimage route. Kumar stated that hotel operators are being urged to minimise the use of oil, salt and sugar in meals. This is expected to benefit pilgrims suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure. As part of the Eat Right campaign, hotels are also being asked not to reuse cooking oil more than three times and instead provide used oil for biofuel production, he said. He also informed that hoteliers are being discouraged from using single-use plastic items such as water bottles. They are being encouraged to contribute to environmental conservation as FDA is promoting the principles of reduce, reuse and recycle, he said.
According to FDA deputy commissioner Ganesh Kandwal, training sessions have already been held with hotel operators and officials concerned in Rishikesh, Srinagar and Rudraprayag. Similar sessions will be conducted in Uttarkashi, Chamba and Haridwar before the Yatra begins. Besides this, the FDA is also promoting the use of local food products and millets as part of the initiative.
Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that Uttarakhand is preparing for the Yatra with a commitment to the Green Char Dham theme, aiming to provide pilgrims with clean food and a clean environment while preventing pollution from single-use plastics. He called for cooperation from pilgrims, food business operators and local residents to support the campaign.
