Nagpur: People should understand that wastage of food is a stark reality which ends up putting a burden on the pockets of the common man. The only way to avoid such a scenario is to take care that food is not wasted and precious money and foodgrains are saved, said mayor Nanda Jichkar on Saturday.
Inaugurating a conclave on ‘Don’t You Waste Food’ campaign being run by System Research Society at a city hotel, Jichkar said volunteers should mobilize people and the movement should reach every nook and corner of the country. The local administration would back such an initiative, she added.
Pro vice-chancellor of Nagpur University Pramod Yeole presided over the function while principal of Mahila Mahavidyalaya Mrunalini Fadnavis, group commander of NCC VS Rana, agronomist RB Thakre, principal of MSS Institute of Social Work John Menachery and director of National Civil Defence College GS Saini were present.
Rana said the generations to come should be taught to eat as much as they need and waste nothing. The country is losing fertile land which would pose a grave problem in the near future of feeding approximately 9 billion people, he added.
Narrating the initiative of Mumbai’s dabbawalas, Fadnavis said they do a great service to society by segregating the leftover and feeding poor people.
Expressing his concern, Yeole said, “Food wastage has assumed alarming proportions in the country and hunger is killing more people worldwide. We need to take this issue seriously.”
Saini brought to attention the fact that a lot of food is wasted especially during disasters. In such situations, food packets are sent by the government and social organizations, but lack of proper management leads to wastage. In calamities, food is essential for survival, and if people are holed up due to adverse conditions, it is the duty of the monitoring agencies to ensure that proper stocks are maintained till the rescue operations are completed, he added.
