Wednesday, December 29 2004 14:48 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mysore: Mysore based Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) has launched 'Operation Food' to rush ready to eat and read to cool meal packets to cater to about 50,000 meals a day to the Tsunami affected people in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.

Today's despatch covers the requirements for one week and after review in next three days, if needed more food packets will be sent, CFTI Director Dr V Prakash told reporters in Mysore.

Prakash said the menu designed included Retort pouch packed rice and sambar, ready to eat imli poha, instant bisibele bath, instant pongal, upma mix for instant large-scale cooking and nutrition biscuits and energy food, especially meant for children.

The food is highly calorised with protein and vitamin content, which can be preserved for months together. The entire staff of CFTRI are working in almost three shifts to meet the urgent needs, he added.

The packets would be distributed through NGO's and Government agencies in a systemised operation and the worst affected areas like Nagapattnam, Cuddalore, Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu and Machalipattanam in Andhra Pradesh would be met first.

The trucks carrying first batch of food packets will leave the city by this evening with some of the officials of the CFTRI to supervise the operations.

The consignments will be sent to Chennai for onward transportation. Apart from the city unit, the other units of Bangalore, Bombay and New Delhi are also gearing up to meet the requirements, Prakash said.

A day's salary of the CFTRI employees would be donated to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund, besides which they are engaged in collecting old clothes and articles to be despatched to the affected areas.

Prakash said that a similar 'Operation Food' was taken up during the earthquake in Gujarat and Indo-Pak conflict in Kargil.