Ministry of Tourism (MoT) hosted an award ceremony for the winners of the ‘Design Challenge: Eco-Friendly Cutlery and Crockery to Substitute Single Use Plastic’ along with an exhibition of edible crockery and cutlery on March 14, 2024, in New Delhi which was chaired by D.G. (Tourism), Manisha Saxena and graced by the presence of Senior Economic Advisor Gyan Bhushan, renowned Chef Manjit Singh Gill, Chef Gunjan Goela and others.
MoT, in coordination with National Council for Hotel Management & Catering Technology (NCHMCT) had organized the ‘Design Challenge: Eco-Friendly Cutlery and Crockery to Substitute Single Use Plastic’ on pan India basis. Twenty two Hotel Managements Institutes from across the country participated in the Design Challenge, out of which top 7 Institutes were selected who have designed and developed the innovative edible cutlery and crockery options after extensive research and creativity. On the parameters of durability, cost effectiveness, scalability, nutritional values and hygiene standards etc. the innovations were evaluated.
The institutions that secured positions in the top 7 were SIHM Indore, IHM Lucknow, IHM Raipur, SIHM Ranchi, IHM Mumbai, IHM Gurdaspur and Dr.Ambedkar Hotel Management Institute Chandigarh. All these institutes exhibited attractive and biodegradable edible cutlery and crockery designs. The top-ranked institutions in the list were IHM Mumbai, followed by SIHM Raipur in second place, and IHM Lucknow in third place.
This initiative was held in line with Travel for LiFE, a specialized program within Mission LiFE, designed to inspire widespread changes in behaviour among tourists, tourism businesses, and related stakeholders. One of the major objectives of the Travel for LiFE initiative is the advocacy of ‘Say no to single-use plastic’, which is a step forward towards sustainable tourism practices. The Design Challenge was conceptualised with the aim to safeguard the environment from the effects of climatic changes and encourage the development of innovative and ecofriendly solutions in the field of cutlery and crockery as an alternative of single use plastic.
An information booklet on ‘Design Challenge: Eco-Friendly Cutlery and Crockery to Substitute Single Use Plastic’ was released during the event and a comprehensive panel discussion was also held for deliberating on the strengths and weaknesses of this alternative initiative and challenges in implementing such alternative practices in general. This initiative will not only benefit in ensuring implementation of sustainable practices but would also generate employment opportunities for associated stakeholders.
