Ranchi rickshaw-puller Abdul Ahmad on Sunday curiously approached a shining glass fridge packed with food packets before Konark Hotel on Station Road. Encouraged by people nearby, he opened the door and picked up a food packet of dal, chawal and sabzi.

A community fridge, the first of its kind in Ranchi, was inaugurated on Sunday by a forum, Jharkhand Citizen Social Security Protection Group, that was conceived and initiated by state ADG Rezi Dungdung.

Dungdung and some 20-odd members of the group, including businessmen, social workers and others, started the community fridge on the lines of a food bank.

The 300-litre glass fridge, donated by group member and Konark Hotel owner Ranjeet Singh, and other members of the forum, has 'Take what you need, leave what you don't' written on it to clearly state its concept. People and hotels can keep extra food in the fridge for the hungry to come and take it away.

The fridge will be accessible 24/7 for the needy.

'I thought of a system of getting extra food from homes, hotels and parties to needy people after I saw a message on social media saying wastage of food could invite penalty in some western countries,' Dungdung told this reporter on Sunday. 'Here, upper and middle classes waste food but feel guilty. Now they can keep it in a fridge where it won't go waste for the poor to take,' he said.

Group member Atul Gera, businessman and regular blood donor, said there were 13 hotels on Stations Road itself, besides a gurdwara and about 100 households, all of which agreed to donate extra food to the fridge.

'Hotels have agreed to refill the fridge every hour by rotation so that it is never empty or overloaded,' added another member Wrehan Jalili, an ad agency owner.

But, in a city where everybody's property is no one's property, can people be stopped from vandalising the fridge? 'Our staffers are always here to keep a watch,' said Konark Hotel owner Singh. 'Also, once poor people realise the utility of the fridge, they won't vandalise it.'

The community fridge impressed many, including Bikas Kumar Singh, former president of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and Industries. 'I would love to install one in Kanke Road area,' he said.