Rupesh Samant

Panaji, Apr 30: The Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) has today directed the Director General of Police to impose appropriate penalty on the Bicholim based M/s Amonkar Classic Caterers for having provided unhydenic food to the police personnel on duty during the 2016 Brics Summit which was hosted in the State.

Acting Chairman of the Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) A D Salkar in his order has also asked the Director General of Police to ensure that the personnel deployed who are deployed for any pre-planned event are not overburdened and that sufficient rest is given to them to avoid any health problem.

The Government has further been directed to strictly follow the circular issued on 31stJuly last year 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.

Pointing out that Article 21 of the Constitution of India provides that every individual has a right to life which includes right to live with decency and human dignity, the GHRC in its order has observed that on account of unhygienic food supplied to the police personnel during the 2016 BRICS summit there was a clear infringement of Article 21 thus violating the basic human rights of the police personnel to live with decency and human dignity.

Adv. Aires Rodrigues in his complaint to the GHRC on 14th October 2016 submitted that the contract for a whopping Rs 51, 60,000 was given to Amonkar Classic Caterers without a proper tender for supply of food to police personnel posted on duty for the BRICS summit and that the contract was sub-let to a road side contractor who clandestinely prepared the food in an open space at Verna.

Pointing out that road side labourers were engaged for cooking that substandard food in most unhygienic condition with water stored in open plastic barrels and used for cooking, Adv. Rodrigues in his complaint further submitted that with thick bushes around the insects and cockroaches found their way into the food served to the police personnel.

Adv. Rodrigues also stated that despite the GHRC having more than once reminded the Government that police personnel are Human beings and should so be treated, the authorities had failed to make any proper arrangements including food, water and toilet facilities for the police personnel.

Adv. Rodrigues further stated that while the Government had gone overboard in making all arrangements for those visiting dignitaries, it had conveniently neglected to cater to the basic fundamental and human rights of its own police personnel.

Stating that the authorities had lost sight that police personnel too have a personal life, Adv. Rodrigues in his complaint pointed out that the Government could not be allowed to be a cause for ruining their health and lives. The GHRC by an order on 18th October 2016 directed that no payments should be released to the Caterer pending inquiry into the entire episode.