Red ants chutney as covid cure? Ayush Ministry to take a call

New Delhi, Jan 01: The chutney of red ants and their dried eggs which had celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay wowed could soon be adopted by the Ayush Ministry as a possible covid cure.

The Orissa high court on Thursday told the directors general of Ayush ministry and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research to decide within three months on a proposal to use red ant chutney to treat Covid-19, Times of India reported.

"Without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, this court disposes of the writ petition and directs the director general of the ministry of Ayush and the director-general of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research to take a decision on the representation filed by the petitioner and pass appropriate order within three months," the bench said.

The use of chutney to fight virus was proposed by Baripada-based engineer and researcher Nayadhar Padhial in June.

A delicacy by the indigenous population in Odisha and Chhattisgarh is consumed to get rid of flu, cough, common cold, breathing difficulties, fatigue and other diseases. The chutney is primarily a mixture of red ants and green chillies.

Padhial, an assistant engineer with the Works Department filed a petition in court regarding the same. Padhial said the chutney contains formic acid, protein, calcium, Vitamin B12, Zinc and iron that boost the immune system.