The ongoing 65th national convention of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) is drawing praise from visitors for its concept of ‘zero wastage of food’. Volunteers at the event, being organised on the Agra College Sports Ground, can be seen urging visitors to not waste food. Not only that -- if the volunteers spot anyone with leftovers in their plate, they gently ask the person to try and finish it.
Dr Rajesh Sharma, ‘Vyavastha Pramukh -- Bhojan’ (head of food management), said, “There are four volunteers and ABVP activists stationed at the food zone. They politely request everyone -- whether a student or a senior leader -- to not waste any food.”
“So far, we have saved food that can feed 500-600 people. Each day, around 2,000 people are eating here and this strategy is working quite well,” he said.
Sharma explained that not only was the method helping check food wastage but it was also reducing the burden on utensil cleaners. “They don’t have to remove leftover food from plates and can directly wash them,” he said.
“In addition, we have kept small paper glasses and steel glasses to save water. At our homes too, we should adopt such methods to save food and water,” he said.
Jay Sharma, who attended the event on Saturday, said, “At first, I felt bad, as the volunteers asked me about the leftovers in my plate in front of my friends. But then I took it positively and followed their instructions. I consumed the rice that I was planning to leave and then deposited my plate in the collection bin.”
{{/usCountry}}Jay Sharma, who attended the event on Saturday, said, “At first, I felt bad, as the volunteers asked me about the leftovers in my plate in front of my friends. But then I took it positively and followed their instructions. I consumed the rice that I was planning to leave and then deposited my plate in the collection bin.”
{{/usCountry}}The convention opened on Friday and will conclude on Monday.