Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Friday inaugurated the NDMC's three-day food festival "Swad Maati Ka" dedicated to ethnic Indian cuisine and earthen pottery at Charkha Park in Connaught Place.

In a statement, the civic body said the food festival has been organized in line with the prime minister's calls for preserving culinary heritage and promoting the use of earthen pots as an alternative to single-use plastic.

"Inaugurated 'Swad Maati Ka' a Food Festival dedicated to Ethnic Indian Cuisine & Earthen Pottery at CP. A thoughtful initiative to promote eco-friendly clay pottery against single-use plastic, generate employment & help preserve our cultural & culinary heritage," Saxena tweeted after the event.

He also appealed to people to visit the food festival with family and friends.

The NDMC statement said Saxena stressed the importance of traditional ways of cooking that ensures healthy and nutritional food, apart from using ecologically viable earthen and clay pottery.

"The L-G informed that the prime minister had launched a scheme for empowering 2.5 crore potters whose livelihood is dependent on making clay pottery and utensils. Whenever we use the pottery utensils or kulhad it also empowers a community and generates employment," it said.

NDMC Chairman Bhupinder Singh Bhalla said the food festival aims to promote alternative products to single-use plastic. The event will continue till Sunday.?