Health pangs: MHA tells armed forces to leave ‘rich food’ at home post vacation
14 Oct 2014 6:02 AM IST
But concerned with the rising trend of heart related ailments, the central government has issued an advisory to all the forces not to carry homemade food items containing high calorie and cholesterol from home after vacation. The government is also planning to reduce the liquor quota for all the forces, considering incidents of violence or scuffle among jawans in some parts of India.
The union government after going through the medical reports prepared over last 10 years on the paramilitary forces came to the conclusion that ‘rich food’ is the main reason — apart from other factors — which contributes to cardiac diseases, high blood pressure, lack of physical activity and stress.
‘Force personnel returning from leave bring with them cans of ghee and use them liberally in their meals.
This practice of using extra fat (saturated), apart from normal oil and fat used as cooking medium is above the upper permissible limits for fat intake and should not be allowed or encouraged,’ the circular reads.
With the circular issued by the union government, all the heads of paramilitary forces have already started raising awareness among jawans on not brining homemade food, which carries high cholesterol and its ill effects on health.
They were also told that if they will not stay fit then it will be difficult for them to face the challenges in difficult terrain, which will create hurdles in getting promotions.
According to the ministry of home (MHA) notification, promotions in paramilitary forces are linked to fitness records.
In 2013, a senior officer of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was demoted after a board set up by the MHA found discrepancies in his physical fitness records.
It was for the first time in the history of CRPF that an officer of inspector-general rank was punished with demotion on fitness ground.
There is a separate board to monitor the fitness and it is reviewed periodically. A jawan is promoted only if he is certified as ‘Shape 1’, which is a high level of physical fitness. The certification of ‘Shape 1’ is given by the government empanelled doctors.
According to government statistics more than 15,000 jawans in paramilitary forces have developed various health related issues, mainly due to unhealthy lifestyle. Some are suffering due to untimely eating, while some are suffering with high cholesterol. And, consumption of liquor followed with scuffle and violence is another issue, which the Ministry of Home Affairs is struggling over the years.
‘There are incidents of firing in a fit of rage in an inebriated state in recent past. With the ill effect of liquor consumption, the government is planning to reduce the liquor quota for all the paramilitary forces,’ MHA sources said.
The union government after going through the medical reports prepared over last 10 years on the paramilitary forces came to the conclusion that ‘rich food’ is the main reason — apart from other factors — which contributes to cardiac diseases, high blood pressure, lack of physical activity and stress.
‘Force personnel returning from leave bring with them cans of ghee and use them liberally in their meals.
This practice of using extra fat (saturated), apart from normal oil and fat used as cooking medium is above the upper permissible limits for fat intake and should not be allowed or encouraged,’ the circular reads.
With the circular issued by the union government, all the heads of paramilitary forces have already started raising awareness among jawans on not brining homemade food, which carries high cholesterol and its ill effects on health.
They were also told that if they will not stay fit then it will be difficult for them to face the challenges in difficult terrain, which will create hurdles in getting promotions.
According to the ministry of home (MHA) notification, promotions in paramilitary forces are linked to fitness records.
In 2013, a senior officer of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was demoted after a board set up by the MHA found discrepancies in his physical fitness records.
It was for the first time in the history of CRPF that an officer of inspector-general rank was punished with demotion on fitness ground.
There is a separate board to monitor the fitness and it is reviewed periodically. A jawan is promoted only if he is certified as ‘Shape 1’, which is a high level of physical fitness. The certification of ‘Shape 1’ is given by the government empanelled doctors.
According to government statistics more than 15,000 jawans in paramilitary forces have developed various health related issues, mainly due to unhealthy lifestyle. Some are suffering due to untimely eating, while some are suffering with high cholesterol. And, consumption of liquor followed with scuffle and violence is another issue, which the Ministry of Home Affairs is struggling over the years.
‘There are incidents of firing in a fit of rage in an inebriated state in recent past. With the ill effect of liquor consumption, the government is planning to reduce the liquor quota for all the paramilitary forces,’ MHA sources said.
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