SPPU’s farm-to-fork supply keeps campus in healthy appetite

The varsity’s vice-chancellor, pro vice-chancellor and registrar have taken steps to provide fresh vegetables directly from farmers to employees and families living on campus

Even as the administration is taking steps to check the spread of Covid-19 (coronavirus) from entering stage 3 — community transmission, Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) has found a way to ensure that the essential needs of its staff on campus are met.

SPPU employees and their families buy vegetables supplied directly by farmers at the campus on Thursday. (HT/PHOTO)

The varsity’s vice-chancellor, pro vice-chancellor and registrar have taken steps to provide fresh vegetables directly from farmers to employees and families living on campus.

“We got in touch with a few employees who live in Mulshi and nearby areas to help us supply vegetables from farmers to employees residing on campus. At least 2,000 employees and their families are living on the campus,” said Prafulla Pawar, registrar, SPPU.

A tempo full of green peas (100kg), green chillies (100kg), okra (100kg), bottle gourd (100kg), cabbage (200kg), cauliflower (200kg), onion (200kg), potato (200kg), ginger (25kg), garlic (25kg), tomato (100kg), coriander (100 bunches), lemon (10kg), oranges (25kg) and sweet lime (25kg) arrived at the campus on Thursday and the vegetables were distributed at designated four spots, near the staff quarters.

“We gave the vegetables at no profit, no loss basis, which is at least 40 per cent cheaper than the Khadki market price. The facility will be made available once a week till we are under lockdown,” said Pawar. The campus has a grocery store and a milk centre run by Katraj dairy.

Though hostels are empty as students left for their native places, there are about 100 international students at the international student accommodation on the campus who can also avail the facility, the varsity registrar said.

Shivaji Uttekar, section officer, SPPU, who lives with his family of two, said, “The idea is working out well. In 112 quarters, where I live, we have a vegetable vendor and have requested families to send only person from each family and stand 2 metres apart to follow the social distance norms advised by the central and state government authorities as a prevention measure.”