Mysuru: The two premier food research institutes in the city CSIR-CFTRI and DFRL are fully geared up to send food packets to cyclone ravaged areas of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal.

CFTRI (Central Food Technological Research Institute) Director Dr. K.S. M.S. Raghavarao is leading the effort with staff and students fully prepared to produce about one lakh meals which will be sent to the needy places in batches.

Meanwhile, the officers and staff in DFRL (Defence Food Research Laboratory) are also gearing up to supply nearly two tonnes of food to the cyclone victims of the three States.

Speaking to Star of Mysore here this morning, DFRL Director Dr. A.D. Semwal said that they have nearly two tonnes of stock of ready-to-eat, self-heating and dehydrated food that includes upma, chapatti, potato peas, suji halwa, veg pulao, chocolate bars, juice packets, biscuits to be sent to the cyclone ravaged areas.

“As soon as we get to hear from the DRDO Head Quarters in Delhi about the requirement we will be either airlifting the food by army helicopters or sending by courier in planes from Bengaluru. We always keep the food in stock as we are conducting research trials. This food is meant for the army jawans but during emergencies we divert the same food to the affected areas,”  Dr. Semwal said.