Get free food in exchange for plastic waste in Odisha’s Kotpad

Koraput: This sleepy town in Odisha famous for its sarees and handloom products is now in news for a noble initiative. Reason: it is providing free meal in exchange for plastic waste.

Kotpad Notified Area Council (NAC) here has kick started a unique initiative to deal with plastic waste. It is giving away free meal for one kilogram of plastic waste.

From yesterday, Aahar centres are accepting polythene bags, plastic bottles, single-use plastic materials in exchange for a Rs 5 meal.

“Plastic waste is hazardous and poses serious threat to live stocks. It chokes drains, traps birds and kills livestock apart from causing serious health hazards to humans. This is a small step to protect the environment and the health of people,” said Kotpad NAC Executive Officer Alok Samantaray.

To sensitize people and create awareness, the NAC administration has put up banners and posters across the town.

On the inaugural day, at least 10 kg of plastic waste was deposited at the centre in exchange for the cooked food comprising rice and dalma.

The NAC has launched the initiative on lines of Chhattisgarh government. Chhattisgarh Health Minister TS Singhdeo on October 9 had inaugurated a ‘Garbage Cafe’, which provides free food in exchange for plastic waste. The café came up in Ambikapur, which had bagged the tag of the second cleanest city in the country.

A similar barter system was launched in Telangana’s Mulugu district recently. The District Collector announced 1 kg rice in exchange for 1 kg plastic waste. The district aims to make it plastic free by 2020.