Garbage Cafe: Plastic Lao Khana Khao
The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has intensified its unique green initiative to protect the environment by setting up 23 more 'Garbage Cafes' where free meals can be availed on deposit of
The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has intensified its unique green initiative to protect the environment by setting up 23 more 'Garbage Cafes' where free meals can be availed on depositing plastic waste. The campaign was launched on 23rd January 2021. The first garbage cafe opened in Delhi in 2020. Reports have stated that these 23 cafes have been spread across the south, central and west zones. Under the 'Plastic Lao Khana Khao' initiative, anyone can deposit one kg of plastic wastes with 'garbage cafes'. In turn they would get a coupon for a free breakfast, lunch or dinner in restaurants which have partnered with the south Delhi's Municipal Corporation. If anyone is not willing to take a meal, he or she will be given half a kg of sweets. Officials associated with the scheme clarified that the plastic waste may include empty water bottles, cold drink bottles, plastic canes and other such plastic-based items.
According to The Times of India, Mayor Anamika inaugurated one of the cafes at Nathu Sweets in Defence Colony. She said at least 12 such facilities were opened in the south zone. Meanwhile, the central zone now had 10 cafes and one in the west zone. She said, "South Delhi Municipal Corporation has many different measures under Swachh Bharat Mission, and garbage cafes are a part of them.”
Delhi is not the first city to come up with the idea of Garbage Cafe. Ambikapur in Chhattisgarh initiated the concept of ‘garbage café’ where the poor and homeless are provided food for free if they deposit plastic waste. Even Odisha Municipality followed the initiative.
