Mela to promote millets held

Madurai: The food safety department conducted a yoga session and bikeathon at The American College on Wednesday under ‘Eat Right – Millet Mela’ to promote millets among the students. Students of the college took out a bike procession from their campus via Thevar Statue, Pangal Road, Collector Office Road, Gandhi Museum Road and Tammukkam, and returned to the college. Students also set up around 20 stalls displaying healthy dishes cooked using millets. Principal Davamani Christober said, “In ancient Sangam literature, Tamil Nadu is divided into five landforms and each had a special millet. Our food habits were healthy in the Sangam Age and it is time to follow those healthy habits again.”Madurai north MLA G Thalapathi said even in the G20 summit our country was keen on promoting millets. “Every day, we should add food made of a millet variety to our diet and lead a healthy life.” Food safety officer Jayarama Pandian said in the past year, eight food melas have been conducted and more than 20,000 students have participated. Collector M S Sangeetha and corporation commissioner K J Praveen Kumar took part in the event.