Neha and Himani, Chandigarh, 27th September, 2008:For the first time in country and the city beautiful a Non vegetarian eating joint was converted to VEGETARIAN food joint today on insistence of Yes!+ club students( Youth Empowerment Skills Workshop). The Combo food joint in PEC market had opened a month back and catered non veg items to campus students. But the students of this youth club, most of whom are Panjab
University students including PEC, UIET, UILS, Bio Chemistry , Mass Communication etc, urged the owner to convert it into a veg restaurant. Says Praveen Fakay, owner of Combo, " We served non veg food because of commercial reasons. Profit is surely more in that case.But on insistence of these students we have converted to veg food." Adds a first year, Electrical engg, PEC student Pranav Talwar " I am proud to be a part of this event and I firmly stand for vegetarianism and urge all youngsters to adopt it."
The initiative was taken under guidance of Ramnik bansal, who is an IIM-Bangalore passout and Yes!+ teacher and co-ordinator Panjab. Says Ramnik " Its a surprising fact but consumption of non veg food is a major cause of many a serious global issues. Physically, emotionally and mentally you become healthier if you lead a vegetarian lifestyle. The youth in the city need to wake up to this reality"
This the one of its kind initiative taken by yes!+ students who have themselves adopted vegetarianism.
Says Nitish Badyal, a member of Yes!+ club " I was a full time non vegetarian before but after I got to know about benefits of leading a vegetarian lifestyle, I changed it and surely the quality of life is better if you are a vegetarian."
Echoes another 3rd year PEC student Nikhil Goyal says " After joining yes!+ club I am more aware of the kind of lifestyle I am leading. And this is just the beginning of a revolution. Not just PEC, the whole city will convert to vegetarian lifestyle."
The club students had gathered on saturday in PEC market to encourage and support the food joint so that it sets an example for others.
(Neha and Himani, Students Reported Punjab Engineering College ,Chandigarh)
Good Attempt by the students. Good luck
Janak
Canada