Team Herald
PANJIM: The Goa Police has issued a show case notice to Bicholim-based M/s Amonkar Classic Caterers in connection with a complaint alleging that food provided to police personnel during the BRICS 2016 Summit was unhygienic.
The Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) on April 30, this year had directed the Director General of Police to impose appropriate penalty on M/s Amonkar Classic Caterers while pointing out to Article 21 of the Constitution of India that every individual has a right to life which includes right to live with decency and human dignity. The order had also observed that on account of unhygienic food supplied to the police personnel during the summit there was a clear infringement of Article 21.
On October 14, 2016, Advocate Aires Rodrigues had approached the GHRC alleging that the contract for a whopping Rs 51. 60 lakh was given to the caterers without a proper tender for supply of food to police personnel posted on duty for the BRICS summit and moreover, the contract was sub-let to a roadside contractor who clandestinely prepared the food in an open space at Verna.
Pointing out that roadside labourers were engaged for cooking that substandard food in most unhygienic conditions with water stored in open plastic barrels and used for cooking, the complainant had further submitted that with thick bushes around, insects and cockroaches found their way into the food served to the police personnel.
In its order in April, acting GHRC chairman A D Salkar had asked the Director General of Police to ensure that the personnel deployed for any pre-planned event are not overburdened and sufficient rest is given to them to avoid any health problem.
The Government was also told to strictly follow the circular issued on July 31, 2018 on welfare measures for the police personnel and to also strictly comply with the suggestions made by the Chief Secretary on the issue which was submitted to the High Court last year.
