Kochi base kitchen fined Rs 1 lakh, closed: Vaishnaw on firm serving stale food in trains
New Delhi, Jul 30 (PTI): A base kitchen in Kochi was closed and fined Rs 1 lakh following an inspection conducted by a three-member committee comprising officers from the railways and the IRCTC, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Wednesday.
He shared this in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha by Congress MP Hibi Eden about a catering unit in Kadavanthra, Kochi, which was found serving unhygienic and stale food to passengers of express trains.
Vaishnaw said the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) regularly floats tenders to select licensees for provision of onboard catering services in trains, as mandated under the extant policy.
"These licenses are awarded through a transparent process, as per the terms and conditions stipulated in the tender documents. Performance review of catering contractors is an ongoing process, which is done by the IRCTC from time to time. Corrective action is accordingly taken in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract," the minister said.
"The base kitchen at Kochi was inspected by a committee of three officers from Railways and IRCTC, following which a penalty of Rs 1,00,000 was imposed and the base kitchen was closed.
Listing various safety measures taken to improve quality, hygiene and food safety, Vaishnaw said meals are supplied from designated base kitchens, modern base kitchens are commissioned at identified locations, CCTV cameras are installed in base kitchens for better monitoring of food preparation, popular and branded raw materials like cooking oil, atta, rice, pulses and masala etc. are used for food preparation and food safety supervisors are deployed at base kitchens to ensure food safety.
Asked whether the government proposes to consider empanelling community-run initiatives like Kudumbashree's Samrudhi network of the Kochi Municipal Corporation to supply food on trains, Vaishnaw said, "Pilot testing with Kudumbashree Samrudhi has also been carried out."
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Karnataka School Edu Dept prohibits children from being made to dance to obscene songs
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka School Education Department has issued a circular strictly prohibiting children from being made to dance to obscene songs in educational and cultural programmes.
It stated that such dances would negatively impact students' mental health and moral values. It will create indiscipline and harm the sanctity of education.
"All the Deputy Directors (Administration) of the state's School Education Department have been asked to take strict measures to prevent children or students from dancing to obscene songs in all government, aided and unaided schools in the state," the office of the commissioner of the School Education Department said in a recent circular.
"If it is found that children are being made to dance to obscene songs, appropriate action will be taken against the headmaster or management of such school," it added.
The department also listed certain measures in this regard, which include: strictly prohibiting children from being made to dance to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes; selecting songs that are inspiring, positive, instilling national pride in children and reflecting the greatness, dignity, values, culture, and morality of the state.
Stating that the school headmaster and management are responsible for selecting songs and dances for cultural programmes, it said, they should also ensure that students wear decent clothes in dance or cultural programmes.
