Free snacks, tea at Guj cafe for those bringing plastic waste

In a novel initiative, a cafe has been set up in a panchayat in Gujarat's Dahod district that provides free snacks and tea in exchange for plastic waste, an official said on Monday.

The 'plastic cafe' has been set up in front of the Dahod tehsil panchayat as part of the Centre's 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' and may be a first for the state, Deputy District Development Officer N P Patanwadiya told PTI.

"It was set up two days ago with an aim to make the tribal-dominated Dahod district plastic-free. As per the scheme, those who bring in one kilogram of plastic waste will get snacks while those bringing in half that quantity will get tea," the official said.

These snacks are being prepared by women under the Gujarat government's 'Sakhi Mandal' scheme, the official informed.

Patanwadiya said the cafe was collecting a sizable amount of plastic waste since it started, which is then sent for recycling, and the plan is to expand the initiative to other tehsils in the district if it is successful.