Apart from Shelter & Dress, Food is a fundamental requirement for any one. At this moment millions are begging on the streets around the world for a morsel of food and scores die in the fights that rage for food. Though Somalia is a classic example, the problems are in every society. Shortage, non-availability, high costs, low in nutrition and poverty are a few causes that make people go to beds with empty stomachs.
In the late seventies I visited Tirupathi, a holy place for the Hindus and I was shocked to see people fighting for the Sambar ( a liquid food item prepared with grams) poured on the steps of a marriage hall and men fighting to collect and lick it. Today India is a surplus nation in the production of foodgrains. The State supplies highly subsidised rice and wheat and distributes to the people through its Public Distribution Networks. In the State of Tamilnadu the government gives 20 kilograms /30 kilograms of rice to close to 18 million families absolutely free of cost. People may complain of the quality, but the rice is not from factories but from paddy fields. I think this is a rarity. Also the State has started to provide subsidised food in its metros, where the cost is absolutely nothing. For a single Indian rupee an idli (steam cooked rice cake) is available. The TN state is also successfully running NUTRITIOUS NOON MEAL SCHEME across the state in all its schools even today and millions of children go to schools without carrying lunch boxes.
The above examples are given just to highlight how nations are rendering a helping hand to the needy. But all nations and all peoples can't afford the same. Hence it is imperative on the people of this planet to start sharing what they have and start saving what they can. This writer gratefully acknowledges the help rendered by the people of America and Canada who gave his state- Tamilnadu millions of tons food items-corn flour, edible oil and wheat free of cost under the UN's CARE programme. Crores of school going children relished it (two-three generations of kids) and the enrollment rate went up reducing the dropout rates. We Salute the good samaritans.
Though the global warming effects are visible in the distribution of monsoon patterns and rainfall the problem is in availability and accessibility. The rich relishes food but the poor languishes for food. Umpteen varieties of food are pumped into by the rich. In big parties they waste more and eat less.The wasted food running to millions of tons reach the landfills whereas the poor cries for a morsel. It is a fashion today to serve 20 to 50 items on the dining table and even in imagination one can not eat the entire stuff served as any human stomach's capacity is a mere 2-4 litres only. A simple estimate finds out only the one third of the food produced go to the mouths remaining wasted in transportation, handling and mismanagement.
The stomach never demands;only the tongue. While we care for our tongue's needs let us care a little for our fellow brethren too.
Let us not fill the garbage bins with delicious food. They don't require. Let us fill the empty stomachs of men and women. You need not send to anyone the food you saved. Buy not more and waste not a little. That is sufficient. It is not about your affordability but the availability.
THINK. EAT AND SAVE IS THE SLOGAN OF THE U.N .
LET US REDUCE THE WASTAGE OF FOOD.
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