Blade-like object found in food of Air India flight to San Francisco; airline apologises
Mumbai (PTI): An Air India passenger has claimed that a blade-like metal piece was found in his food on a Bengaluru-San Francisco flight last week after which Tata Group-owned airline launched an investigation.
Confirming the presence of a "foreign object" in the food, Air India on Monday "deeply apologized" for the incident, saying that it came from the vegetable processing machine used at the facilities of its catering partner TajSATS.
The passenger, in a post on X, claimed that he got a feel of the blade-like object only after chewing the grub for a few seconds but luckily no harm was done.
"Air India food can cut like a knife. Hiding in its roasted sweet potato and fig chaat was a metal piece that looked like a blade. I got a feel of it only after chewing the grub for a few seconds. Thankfully, no harm was done," the passenger, Mathures Paul, who is a journalist by profession, said.
Paul blamed Air India's catering service, adding, "but the incident doesn't help the image I have of Air India...what if the metal piece was in the food served to a child?"
This is the second incident involving the food served on the airline's long-haul flights in the recent past.
Significantly, both Air India and TajSATS are part of the steel-to-software conglomerate, Tata Group.
"Air India confirms that a foreign object was found in the meal of a guest aboard one of our flights. After investigation, it has been identified as coming from the vegetable processing machine used at the facilities of our catering partner," Air India Chief Customer Experience Officer Rajesh Dogra said in a statement.
The airline had initiated a probe after the passenger posted about the incident on X.
The airline has worked with its catering partner to strengthen measures to prevent any recurrence, including more frequent checking of the processor, especially after chopping any hard vegetables, Dogra said.
"Air India has engaged with the affected customer and deeply apologises for this experience," the airline official added.
Also apologising for the unfortunate incident, a TajSATS spokesperson said, "We have strengthened our processes of comprehensive inspection and preventive maintenance of all our production equipment."
Earlier on Saturday, a business-class passenger of the airline's New Delhi-Newark flight had complained that he was served "uncooked" food by the airline and the seats were dirty, describing the journey as "no less than a nightmare".
Air India food can cut like a knife. Hiding in its roasted sweet potato and fig chaat was a metal piece that looked like a blade. I got a feel of it only after chewing the grub for a few seconds. Thankfully, no harm was done. Of course, the blame squarely lies with Air India’s… pic.twitter.com/NNBN3ux28S
— Mathures Paul (@MathuresP) June 10, 2024
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25 lakh properties in Bengaluru brought under e-Khata system: Shivakumar
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday said that the state government has brought over 25 lakh properties under the e-Khata system in Bengaluru.
e-Khata is an electronic property certificate that maintains ownership information in an online database.
The e-Khata initiative aimed to ensure accuracy, transparency and universal coverage for property owners, he said.
Addressing a press conference here, Shivakumar, who is also the Bengaluru in-charge Minister, said over 25 lakh properties are being brought under the e-Khata system. Of them more than 7,000 applications have been processed, and additional outreach measures being planned for those yet to obtain their e-Khata.
"Twenty five lakh e-Khatas is a great number which has created history," he said.
The Deputy CM said the government is ensuring that every e-Khata will have its GPS, the shape of the property, and the measurement with every photo and document.
He explained that the government is integrating Aadhaar details, digital documentation, GPS mapping and property sketches to create a robust database.
"We want to see that every record is filled right. They (officials) are asking for documentation, stamp, digital documents. We wanted to connect every Aadhaar card and have it online," Shivakumar said.
To facilitate access, the Deputy CM announced the opening of more than 50 centres across Bengaluru, many of them in government schools, where citizens can apply for or rectify their e-Khata records.
"All of them will be working this Saturday. This 'Khata Mela' will be done. It is 'Nanna Khata, Nanna Swathu'," he said.
Applicants whose documents require verification will be given an acknowledgement and asked to return after 15 days, during which officials will conduct site inspections, he said.
Shivakumar said the government has also taken steps to identify and reclaim properties recorded as roads in revenue documents, asserting that such lands belong to the government.
"We have decided through the law that all the roads in the revenue records have been taken out. Those properties belong to the government itself," he said.
He noted that the initiative has received recognition from the Union government. "The Government of India has awarded us. It said that it is the model for the entire country," he said, while thanking officials involved in the project.
The Deputy CM said the government expects around 10 lakh additional households to benefit from the drive and assured that even those who have not downloaded their documents will receive printed copies free of cost at their residences.
"We will see that all the 25 lakh people will get their e-Khata to their home free of cost," Shivakumar said.
On apartment properties, he said all flats that have obtained occupancy certificates have been cleared.
"All the 37,460 flats (who have applied for e-Khata) have been issued an occupancy certificate. We have cleared all of them," the Deputy CM said.
