Raipur, Oct 26 (IANS) In a stirring anecdote shared during the 127th episode of his radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’ on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spotlighted a remarkable initiative unfolding in the heart of Chhattisgarh.

The Garbage Cafe in Ambikapur, a city nestled in central India, is redefining the concept of nourishment and civic responsibility — one plastic wrapper at a time.

Every day, the cafe welcomes people who visit to relish lunch or dinner, but instead of paying with rupees, they offer bundles of plastic waste — discarded carrier bags, food wrappers, and water bottles.

“In lieu of one kilogram of garbage, you can get a good lunch or dinner; for half a kilogram, you can get breakfast,” the Prime Minister explained, lauding the efforts of the Ambikapur Municipal Corporation (AMC) for this innovative approach.

The cafe’s menu is generous and wholesome — rice, two vegetable curries, dal, roti, salad, and pickles for a full meal.

Breakfast options include popular street fare such as ‘samosas’ and ‘vada pav’. The initiative, launched in 2019 under the slogan “More the waste, better the taste”, is funded through AMC’s sanitation budget and strategically located near the city’s main bus stand.

The concept was born out of a dual crisis — plastic pollution and urban hunger. By incentivising the collection of plastic waste, the cafe not only provides sustenance but also contributes to environmental cleanliness.

Ragpickers and low-income individuals are encouraged to gather plastic from streets and landfills, exchanging it for hot meals that nourish both body and spirit.

If food is available in place of plastic, the cafe is not only helping to fill empty stomachs but also contributing to cleaning up the environment.

The cafe feeds several people daily — a modest yet meaningful number in a city striving for inclusive progress.

Ambikapur’s Garbage Cafe stands as an example of ingenuity and compassion, proving that sustainable solutions can emerge from the most pressing urban challenges. In a world grappling with waste and want, this humble cafe offers a recipe for hope — served warm, with a side of civic pride.

–IANS

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