INDIA MAY DO AWAY WITH BIG FAT WEDDINGS, FOOD WASTAGE AT SOCIAL EVENTS

NEW DELHI, June 23 (Bernama) -- Waste not, want not. Irked by abundant food
wastage at social events, Indian policy makers plan to draft new rules to avoid
unwanted waste.

According to official estimates, agriculture food items worth about RM40
billion are wasted in India annually, and about 15 to 20 per cent of food wasted
at marriages, parties and government meetings.

"Large amounts of food are wasted in our social gatherings while food is
thrownaway at hotels and government meetings...it is a voluntary waste. At the
sametime, a large number of people in the country do not have adequate food.

"The vulgar flaunting of wealth does not match with our culture and social
norms," India's Food and Consumer Affairs Minister K. V. Thomas told a
committee deliberating on containment of wastage of food in Delhi Thursday.

He said the ministry was even likely to take a cue from Pakistan's one-dish
law restricting food menu (one vegetable dish and chappati or rice) and limiting
the number of guests at social functions to avoid lavishness.

"'Big fat weddings' are common in India, where marriage function stretch
for days, with plentiful sumptuous dishes to entertain a large congregation of
guests.

"I understand, in Pakistan, menu is restricted to one item. We need to
create awareness and the government itself must introduce austerity measures,"
added Thomas.

Bureaucrats, consumer activists and journalist are brainstorming to find
ways to curb wastage, at a time when at least 35 per cent of India's 1.21
billion people live below poverty line.

-- BERNAMA