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Notices over unhygienic food to train passengers

Staff Reporter

Respondents asked to file replies by July 19

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Thursday issued notices to the Centre, Ministry of Railways, Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and others seeking replies from them to a public interest litigation (PIL) accusing them of supplying unhygienic food to passengers on running trains across the country.

A Division Bench comprising Justice M.K. Sharma and Justice Reva Khetrapal asked the respondents to file their replies by July 19.

Counsel for IRCTC on Thursday submitted that the Corporation had appreciated the PIL where certain deficiencies in its kitchens were brought to the notice of the Court. He submitted that the Railways was committed to provide quality food to its passengers, and for that efforts were being made to further improve the hygienic condition.

However, the Court appointed a four-member committee comprising Varun Goswami and Shadman Ali, the two petitioners in the matter, A.S. Chandhiok and Kirti Uppal, president and secretary respectively of the Delhi High Court Bar Association, and directed it to inspect the Corporation's kitchens and file a report to the Court about the conditions prevailing there and suggest measures to improve them.

The conditions in base kitchens and other cooking units of the Railways were deplorable and unhygienic, the petition alleged. "The Railways had failed to set up modern and sanitised kitchens and the kitchen staff was not properly trained and educated to perform their duties."

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