Uttar Pradesh: KGMU bans non-veg food in messes over hygiene concerns

The King George’s Medical University (KGMU) in Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow has decided to prohibit cooking and serving of non-vegetarian food across all hostel messes and canteens with immediate effect.

This came after a recent inspection of the campus by Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, who serves as the Chancellor of state universities, IANS reported.

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The university administration said that students will have the freedom to order non-vegetarian food from outside. Also, they can cook it themselves as per their personal preferences.

Officials said that the decision was taken after Anandiben Patel expressed concerns over hygiene standards at facilities where non-vegetarian food was being prepared.

On Wednesday, several saints welcome the move. Saint Satendra Das Vedant Ji Maharaj has expressed hope that similar measures would be adopted by all the educational institutions in the country. “I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Governor. I hope that this decision is implemented not only in Lucknow but across the entire country. Wherever hostels are being run, such a ban should be enforced,” IANS quoted the saint as saying.

He noted that the practice of serving non-vegetarian food to students and “encouraging such dietary habits should come to an end.”

“This should not be limited to Lucknow alone; all hostels, educational institutions, and universities across India should implement such a ban,” he added.

Praising the university’s decision, Mahamandaleshwar Vishnu Das called it a positive initiative and expressing the view that consuming non-vegetarian food does not necessarily contribute to better health or physical strength.

“It is a very good decision that non-vegetarian food will not be cooked at KGMU in Lucknow. It is commendable because eating non-vegetarian food does not improve health or provide strength. It has simply become a habit for many people. Therefore, the decision that non-vegetarian food will neither be cooked nor served at KGMU is a positive step. Everyone should understand that consuming non-vegetarian food does not make a person healthier or stronger,” he said.