New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has organised a three-day food festival, Swad Maati Ka to create awareness in the public about the importance of eco-friendly and environmentally sustainable alternative to single use plastic at Charkha Park, near Charkha Museum, Connaught Place from August 19 to 21.

The food festival will be inaugurated by Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Friday in the presence of the NDMC chairman, secretary and members and representative of Market Traders Associations and Hotels, Food Chains, Food vendors and Restaurants.

The food festival is being organised under the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ campaign to promote eco-friendly pottery utensils.

The NDMC has invited reputed food vendors to participate in the food festival.  The food vendors, who have a presence in the NDMC area, will get preference in the selection.

On Wednesday, the New Delhi Traders Association – Connaught Place(NDTA-CP) had claimed that the shutdown of parking for the three-day food festival will affect their business. They made an appeal to authorities through their official twitter handle, pointing-out how the festival would affect their businesses.

We request @PMOIndia @narendramodi @AmitShahOffice @LtGovDelhi @CMODelhi @ArvindKejriwal @manishsisodia90 not to ruin @CP_Heartofdelhi by arranging publicevents in parkings & centralpark,its business complex not public park,pls let us work and earn our bread,do this at Indiagate https://t.co/Ymxigvfrhu

— NDTA-CP-OFFICIAL (@NDTAofficial) August 17, 2022

Reacting to the appeal, the organizers cleared the parking spaces that were earlier supposed to be a part of the event venue.

NDTA-CP, on Thursday thanked the Delhi LG for reopening A Block parking in the CP.

A Block parking seems Reopened now for visitors, @NDTAofficial sincerely Thanks Honbl @LtGovDelhi Sir for understanding our concern & issuing urgent instructions,we also thank @tweetndmc @upadhyaysbjp @kuljeetschahal for removing this fest from our market@PTI_News @journo_vibha https://t.co/vcncLVXFNe pic.twitter.com/pMLU5sCpwC

— NDTA-CP-OFFICIAL (@NDTAofficial) August 18, 2022

At the event, vendors will cook and serve food in eco-friendly potteries and utensils to promote alternatives to single use plastic. NDMC will provide stalls and all the basic amenities at the site, free of cost for the successful organization of the festival. The entire area will be maintained and decorated by the NDMC while the stalls will be decorated by the respective vendors.