Shillong: The director of North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences, D.M. Thappa, has got embroiled in controversy over his alleged advisory to a coffee shop at the outdoor patients department of the superspecialty hospital to sell only vegetarian food.

The Opposition Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP) has written to Union health minister J.P. Nadda, voicing concern over the matter. In the letter, HSPDP chief and legislator Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit alleged that non-vegetarian food was not being served in the shop since Thappa joined as the director of the institute.

"After several people approached us, we sent a team which found some truth in the complaints. This is an attack on the food habits of the indigenous people in the Northeast and it has not been taken in good taste," Basaiawmoit said. He urged Nadda to direct the institute authorities to restore the sale of non-vegetarian food. However, NEIGRIHMS authorities claimed that it was "misinformation" regarding non-availability of non-vegetarian food items at the institute.

In a statement issued here on Thursday, NEIGRIHMS public relations officer, K.K. Pandita clarified that there were two major canteens in the hospital. One is in the casualty area of the hospital which has a kitchen where freshly cooked vegetarian and non-vegetarian food was being served to patients and attendants. "Neither the director nor any other officer of the institute has ever directed contractors of the canteen to stop serving any kind of food," the PRO said.

Pandita also said the coffee shop at the outdoor patients' department, packed food included both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. Pandita claimed that pre-packed food items, including chicken momos, chicken noodles, and chicken rolls were available in the coffee shop all the time "subject to availability."

However, the HSPDP members found that a list of edible items displayed at the coffee shop inside the hospital has food that is vegetarian. The list, they alleged, was duly approved by the director on May 26 this year.

Pandita also said that in view of cooked meat items having a shorter shelf life, canteens have been advised to keep fresh items available for patients and attendants who visit the hospital. "In the hospital kitchen, eggs are served to in-house patients twice a day, depending on the advice of their doctors. Therefore, there is no question of any advisory from the authorities of the institute to stop non-vegetarian food," Pandita added.