Ajay Joshi Jalandhar, November 12 The Model Town Gurdwara managing committee today took an initiative to avoid use of plastic items such as polybags and thermocol cup and plates on the gurdwara premises. To commemorate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the managing committee today served langar to devotees on the eco-friendly plates, made of leaves. The managing committee chairman, Ajit Sethi said it was for the first time that they were serving langar on leaf plates. “Earlier we used to have either disposable thermocol plates or plastic plates and cups, however, considering the seriousness of the harmful effects of plastics, we switched to environment-friendly plates for serving langar. As these are not easily available in the city in bulk, we had bought an estimated stock of green plates prior to the Gurpurb. The plates were purchased from a private dealer, who brought them from Orissa”, Sethi said. Residents who paid obeisance at the gurdwara also appreciated the initiative and stressed on using green plates only. Most of the gurdwaras continued serving langar in a traditional manner by using steel plates, cups, spoons and glasses. However, thermocol and plastic plates and cups were used during shortage of the steel utensils. Vikarmjit Singh, a langar committee member at Gurdwara Gurunanak Pura said with no other options available, he had to purchase thermocol plates and cups to serve langar to a large number of sangat. Various stalls set up on roads also served food on plastic and thermocol disposable plates, which were later dumped on the road only. Organisers said they did not know about the eco-friendly plates. Hence, they only purchased what was available in the market. Hundreds of commuters were served langar at these stalls..

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