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Journalism of Courage
8230;that8217;s the message two Chandigarhians are bringing back from a study mission on food waste management held in Japan
We all eat and sometimes we overeat. But more than all of that, we tend to waste food. Remember your last restaurant visit? No one licks a plate clean, there8217;s always leftover food and no, we don8217;t really know where it ends up. 8220;In the Indian scenario, it8217;s usually finds its way into landfills,8221; tells Dr R S Saini, executive director at the Idma Foundation for Sustainable Development who along with another Chandigarhian, Dr J K Arora, Additional Director at the Punjab State Council for Science 038; Technology was shortlisted by Asian Productivity Organization, Tokyo for a Study Mission on Waste Management in the Food-marketing and Processing Sectors. The two spent close to ten days in early November in Tokyo.
8220;We were stunned by the enabling approach of the laws,8221; admits Saini who found that though they included punitive measures, effective market regulations are woven around so that one is encouraged to go for recycling. For example if a food industry wants to throw its waste on municipal landfill it has to pay 55 yen/kg; incineration is now being discouraged and costs about 30 yen/kg; sending your waste to a biogas plant costs Rs 27 Yen/kg. 8220;Further you are given a lot of relaxations in case you send your waste for recycling,8221; explains Saini.
Impressed with the overall approach to shift to environment friendly lifestyles both at individual levels as well as support from government, the two found it interesting to see parking exclusively for cycles on sub-way metro stations. 8220;People cycle their way to metro, park their cycles and catch metro to go to their offices. The government strengthens the movement by way of charging high fees on parking of cars,8221; says Saini who along with Dr Arora cycled around the Imperial Palace on a Sunday. As to what lessons can India learn from a country that8217;s surging ahead on the Eco route, the two feel it8217;s imperative to have stricter laws and guidelines. 8220;The cycle has to be made complete by strengthening own systems as well,8221; he sums up.
