TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: As India debates whether the Food Security Bill is the most effective way to feed its starving millions, it has come to light that around 12 tonnes of leftover food is collected as waste daily from nearly 250 hotels and restaurants located in the capital city, nearly half of which is fit for consumption.
Considering that an average person consumes about 300 grams of food per day, the leftover food from Panjim’s favoured joints can feed about 100,000 hungry and or underfed Goans each day.
This colossal waste is perhaps a sign of affluence and accompanying change of values within Goan society, which would have been unthinkable decades ago. The solid waste management cell of the Corporation of the City of Panjim (CCP), told Herald that of the total 25-26 tonnes of food waste generated by the city which includes hotels, restaurants and households, 10 to 12 tonnes of waste is generated by eateries alone.
Sachin Ambe, in-charge waste management, CCP, told Herald that the city generates around 60 tonnes of waste per day including debris. About 25-26 tonnes of food waste is generated of which over 50 per cent is produced by hotels.
“There is always variation as far as the waste is concerned. But on an average; food waste from eateries ranges between 10-12 tonnes per day,” he added. Authorities said the figure increases specially during tourist and wedding seasons.
Meanwhile, the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) which has launched a survey of city hotels and restaurants, ahead of World Environment Day on June 5 in collaboration with Goa Institute of Management (GIM), to quantify the food waste generated by them, has come out with more facts on our consumption patterns.
GSPCB Chairman Jose Manual Noronha said that during their interaction with city garbage experts, it was obvious that tonnes of food waste is indeed collected in the city. “Fifty per cent of the food waste generated by hotels, restaurants and other eateries is fit to be consumed,” he added, pointing out that most of the leftover food consists of rice, curry, non-vegetarian food waste, dough and the like.
The ongoing GSPCB survey, ahead of World Environment Day, this year has as its theme “Think-Eat-Save”. It is related to the food resources that we consume ~ and waste ~ every day,” Noronha told Herald. The survey includes big and small hotels, restaurants, shacks, kiosks, canteens and caterers.
CCP co-opted corporator Patricia Pinto, who streamlines the collection, segregation and treatment of garbage in the city for the CCP, said that it is very difficult to treat waste, especially wet waste. “The food waste includes dal, curry and other such products which are difficult to treat. But being biodegradable they do not lead to pollution,” she said, urging citizens not to waste food or throw out such large amounts of leftover food.
