Back to tiffin box: Tiruchy corporation staff can’t order food online anymore
TIRUCHY: Food can no longer be ordered at Corporation offices as employees have been told delivery services are no longer an option.
The order has come from the very top through an internal circular issued by Corporation Commissioner S Sivasubramaniam. The circular also said employees should not waste food or use banned plastic products in any Corporation office.
Though this directive has come as a surprise to most officials, food wastage is now being avoided. This is because the internal order issued to various departments specifically mentioned the Corporation would post the names of those wasting food on notice boards. To avoid such an embarrassing situation, employees are taking care to avoid wasting food and now coming to work with lunch boxes.
Though many of them are still in the dark on exactly why food delivery services should be avoided, employees have chosen not to ask any questions.
Sources said the Commissioner came up with the directive to reduce waste generation in offices. “When we ordered something online, the food would be delivered in disposable boxes. The delivery persons would bring the food in plastic carry bags. Once the food is eaten, the boxes and bags become waste. If employees come with their own lunchboxes, there would not be much waste. This would be the reason behind the ban,” a source said.
To get around the order, some employees started going out to buy food from eateries.
But this practice came to an abrupt halt after they realised the presence of CCTV cameras in Corporation offices.
“Even if we go out to buy food, we have to ensure it is not provided in banned plastic products. The Commissioner also said we should not even use tissue paper inside offices. Therefore, we have to go to eateries with a tiffin box to buy food. It is better to bring food from
home now,” said an employee.
Though the direction has created some inconvenience, many employees support the decision. They pointed out the Commissioner is only following what he has told residents and students.
“In an interaction with students, he told them to reduce waste generation in their homes. He said they should give unnecessary wrapping on products back to the shop. This would put a stop to bringing unnecessary waste home. He is following the same concept in Corporation offices. When we are asking residents to take such steps, we should do the same in our offices,” a senior official said.