Come August 16, an estimated 125 new outlets serving affordable food — the Indira Canteens — are expected to become operational. Though the BBMP says everything is in place, residents living in the vicinity of the canteens are worried.
The canteen coming up opposite Suresh T.’s house in Sarakki is part of the first batch of 125 canteens that will start functioning from August 16. He claims that the eight trees cut to make way for the canteen was just the beginning.
“It will serve around 1,500 people every day. The tonnes of wet waste is going to attract mosquitoes, rodents and raise a stench. There is going to be security and traffic issues. We are contemplating moving out,” he said, pointing out that the canteens will not be any different from restaurants.
However, Rajendra Singh Bhati, partner, Hospitality Unlimited, which is advising the BBMP on planning, service, logistics and SOPs for the project, said, “Waste will be segregated. But we expect only organic waste, as the food will be served in polypropylene plates and water in steel glasses. Food will be transported from the main kitchens to the canteens in steel containers. There are three sinks in each canteen for washing vessels. There is a plan to have dishwashers in future.”
Food waste
“We will be starting trial services before the launch. We expect to cater to a maximum of 500 people for each of the three meals. Nodal officers will be monitoring the canteens on a weekly basis to look for patterns and adjust food quantities accordingly,” he said.
But not everyone is willing to believe that there will be no wastage of food. Solid Waste Management expert N.S. Ramakanth spoke from his experience of the Compost Santhes that are being organised every weekend. “There is going to be a mess if a canteen comes up. We have leftovers even in the breakfast we organise for around 300 people at the Santhe every week,” he said.
But a ‘zero-waste, zero-discharge’ model, similar to the one being followed at the santhe, is possible, he said. At the santhe, participants have to drop leftovers into a drum, dip plates in water in another drum, and then dip it in a drum with a bio-enzyme cleaner. The food waste is composted in a pit dug up on the same day at the venue.
BBMP Commissioner N. Manjunath Prasad said wet waste would be collected every day by its own staff from each canteen. “We will make two trips if required, based on how much food is wasted. The waste will be carried to various composting plants until the ward-wise decentralised composting plants are ready. We are providing suitable training to our health inspectors, who will be in charge of the canteens and 27 kitchens,” he said.