The Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) in Jammu has prohibited fast food for the yatris in preparation for the upcoming annual Amarnath yatra.
On July 1, 2023, the beginning of the 62-day long Amarnath Yatra would begin and
Jammu, Udhampur, Ramban, and other districts would set up basic camps from which communal dinners will be established along the path to the shrine.
In light of this, the board’s administration issued a health alert warning yatris to avoid particular meals in order to successfully finish the yatra.
An official quoted stringent directives given by the board’s administration, saying, “no banned items or goods will be served, sold, or stored by the langar, organisations, food stalls, shops, and other establishments.”
The district magistrates of Ganderbal and Anantnag have been instructed to issue orders outlining the consequences for yatris who deviate from the meal plan.
Management has banned all fried and fast foods, as well as cold drinks, in accordance with a health advisory issued to yatris. This includes items like puri, batura, pizza, burgers, stuffed parathas, dosa, fried roti, bread with butter, cream-based foods, pickles, chutneys, fried papads, chowmein, karrah, and so on.
Halwa, jalebi, gulab jamun, laddu, khoya burfi, rasgulla, and all other halwai products; chips, matthi, namkeen combination, pakora, samosa, fried dry fruits, and all other deep fried goods; and crunchy snacks (rich in fat and salts) are all prohibited.
All intoxicating substances, including non-vegetarian meals, alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, gutka, pan masala, and smoking, have been explicitly prohibited from the yatra.
The official cited the advisory for the yatris, which states that pilgrims may experience high altitude sickness (including loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, weakness, dizziness, lightheadedness, difficulty sleeping, vision loss, bladder dysfunction, bowel dysfunction, loss of coordination, paralysis on one side of the body, and gradual loss of consciousnss) while trekking to the Amarnath cave shrine, which is located at an elevation of up to 14,000 feet.
According to the SASB’s health recommendation, “If high altitude sickness is not treated timely, it may be lethal in a matter of hours.” Yatris are also recommended to avoid fast meals and obtain the medical examination.
To further secure the safety of the yatris travelling from Jammu to the Amarnath cave shrine, the security forces, including the J&K Police and paramilitary troops, have also reviewed the situation.
