2 months ago
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A time aft the State Election Commission (SEC) announced its program to motorboat a ‘halwa campaign’ for welcoming first-time voters astatine polling stations for the April 9 Assembly elections, B. Ekbal, neurosurgeon and nationalist wellness activist, called it a “sweet gesture”, but stressed connected the request for healthier alternatives to “halwa”.
The SEC Vote-Sweetened Kerala campaign, with the tag enactment “A saccharine commencement to your civic journey”, is aimed astatine first-time voters. As portion of the campaign, SEC plans to administer specially branded halwa among first-time voters astatine selected polling booths successful each district, arsenic a motion of welcome.
“The SEC’s bid to sweeten the voting acquisition of first-time voters is so a saccharine motion but does it person to beryllium with a high-sugar, high-calorie nutrient arsenic halwa,” Dr. Ekbal asked. That excessively erstwhile astir 40% of the youngsters successful the State are overweight and obesity and Type 2 diabetes are rising astatine an alarming complaint successful Kerala, helium pointed out.
Dr. Ekbal has written to the Chief Electoral Officer, Ratan Kelkar, appreciating the bully intentions of the SEC successful welcoming young first-time voters, portion besides suggesting that it would beryllium amended to sweeten the commencement of their civic travel with nutritious options different than the halwa.
It is important to nonstop the close connection to youngsters, that shunning sweetener is amended for their health, helium says.
Healthy options
He besides suggests seasonal fruits oregon nutri-bars made of millets arsenic nutritious alternatives. If sweetness is mandatory, to suit the sanction of SEC’s campaign, past peanut brittle candy made with jaggery would beryllium a healthier alternate than the sugar-loaded halwa, helium pointed out.
Peanut brittle candy tin beryllium sourced from Kudumbasree units, which would beryllium a boost to the women’s self-help groups too, helium said.
Rather than “sweetness”, the SEC’s run would beryllium conveying the overmuch stronger message, “Healthy voter, Robust Democracy” if the halwa were to beryllium replaced with steadfast options, Dr. Ekbal said.
Dr. Kelkar, whose erstwhile duty had been arsenic the State Mission Director of National Health Mission, should see his proposition with the seriousness it deserves, helium added.
