The Uttarakhand government on Sunday launched a health campaign spreading among the public the virtues of a frugal diet ahead of the Chardham Yatra. Uttarakhand Health Secretary Dr R Rajesh Kumar said the main objective of the ‘Aaj se thoda kam’ campaign is to control excess salt, sugar, and fat in food to prevent the onset of such conditions as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. He said under the initiative, restaurants and eateries will be encouraged to prepare healthy dishes. Banners, posters and digital media will be leveraged to spread the word about the campaign.
The secretary said the department has also launched the ‘Re-purpose Used Cooking Oil’ (RUCO) initiative to help reduce the use of re-used oil. Under the initiative, the used oil will be collected and recycled into biodiesel, go into the making of soap and other non-food products, he said. This Chardham Yatra will start with the opening of the doors of Gangotri and Yamunotri on April 30.
