A novel initiative by the Rajendranagar Circle of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation to provide food and snacks to the sanitation workers and drivers could as well be replicated across the city.
The ‘Swachh Food Bank’ initiative was launched by the Circle officials a few days ago, whereby discarded food items would be collected from the international airport and factories and distributed among the poor, especially the Corporation’s sanitation workers and drivers.
The idea was struck upon when it was noticed that a large quantity of biscuits, cakes and bread loaves were going waste from the factories dotting the Katedan industrial area, because they were broken, out of shape or the packing was slightly defective for export. The industries would otherwise dispose of the biscuits at throw-away prices or dump them in the garbage.
It also came to the notice of the circle level officials that a large amount of food items were being thrown away from the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport premises too. Though the food was fresh and edible, it would often be discarded by various flight operators because the packaging would be slightly damaged.
“We have requested the factory and airport authorities to give the food to us rather than dump it in garbage, and they have agreed.
We have set up a stall under the ‘Swachh Food Bank’ initiative, and providing food to our sanitation workers and auto drivers, as they come out very early and most often without having breakfast,” said Srinivas Reddy, the Commissioner, South Zone.
After learning about the initiative, hotels and restaurants from the Rajendranagar Circle too are coming forward to share the left-over items from various events and weddings, he informed. The food would be given away only after food inspectors testify the quality.
The stall is being kept open from 10.30 a.m. up to 1 p.m. GHMC Commisioner B.Janardhan Reddy visited the stall on Wednesday, and appreciated the effort by the officials.