Dakshina Kannada canteen model for state
Indira Canteens launched, high-quality food
Mangaluru, July 13: The Congress government's ambitious Indira Canteen project is about to complete one year of its journey. In the Dakshina Kannada canteens, high-quality food is being provided at the lowest price. With this, the canteens in the districts have become a model for the state.
While there have been complaints regarding the delay in the launching of the project and supply of poor quality food at various places in the state, the five Indira canteens of Dakshina Kannada, located at Lady Goshen near State Bank, Urwa Store near Mangaluru Urban Development Authority, Kavuru, Thokkottu, and Surathkal; are giving high performance.
Indira Canteen Project successful
If the quality of food, cleanliness, and staff in these five canteens is observed; there is no doubt that these canteens have a distinguishing factor compared to others in the state.
In the canteens across the state, food is being provided as per the respective food culture of the particular regions. Even in the coastal region, Kuchalakki (Parboiled rice) is being served especially. White rice is also being supplied.
More than 7,000 people are visiting the five canteens in the district daily to have breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Since there are many government offices, hospitals and markets in Lady Goshen; a large number of people are visiting the canteen there. However, in contrast to this, the number of beneficiaries at Thokkottu canteen is meager.
Massive ‘Mother Kitchen’ at Urwa Store
A massive 'Mother Kitchen' has been established at Indira Canteen at Urwa store near Muda. The food is being transported from here to remaining four canteens for three times in a day. Around 29 staff members are working in the mother kitchen. The contract of the food supply has been given to Sai Hospitality Services.
No health officer is appointed to check the food safety at the canteens. However, a health officer voluntarily visits the canteens and examines the quality of food.
Soon to begin at Pumpwell
The canteen constructed in Pumpwell will soon be inaugurated. The inauguration was withheld in the view of election code of conduct. ‘The canteen will begin to serve people from next week,’ the DC has replied to an MMC letter.
The Indira Canteen built in Pumpwell will soon be inaugurated.
- Mohammad Nazeer, Commissioner, MMC
I come for dinner at Urwa Store Indira Canteen every day. The quality of food is high here.
Suresh, beneficiary
Fast food shops face no problem by the supply of food at Indira Canteens. It is helpful for many. We have our customers.
-Nagaraj, owner of a fast food shop at State Bank
More people are visiting Indira canteen day by day. Indira Canteens are already functioning in Thokkottu, Lady Goshen, Urwa Store, Surathkal, and Kavoor. Soon, an Indira Canteen will be opened at Pumpwell.
- Prabhakar Shetty, Managing Director of Sai Hospitality Services
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Insensitive of Pune hospital to deny admission to woman, says Fadnavis; forms inquiry panel
Mumbai (PTI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered the formation of a committee to inquire into the death of a pregnant woman after she was allegedly refused admission by Pune's leading Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital over non-payment of a deposit of Rs 10 lakh.
The controversy escalated on Friday with local political activists staging a protest outside the hospital and the hospital claiming that the woman's relatives were making misleading allegations.
A day earlier, BJP MLC Amit Gorkhe claimed in a video message that Tanisha Bhise, the wife of his personal assistant, was refused admission by the hospital. She was taken to another hospital where she died after delivering twins, he said.
A statement from the Chief Minister's Office said on Friday that he had taken serious note of the incident. "He has ordered the formation of an inquiry committee under the chairmanship of the Joint Commissioner of Charity, Pune," it said.
It said that the deputy secretary or under-secretary of the Law and Justice department would be the member secretary of the committee.
Further, instructions have been issued to the principal secretary, the Law and Justice department and the charity commissioner to ensure that the Charity Patient Scheme prepared as per the directions of the High Court is effectively implemented by all charity hospitals, the CMO said.
"All charitable hospitals should seek approval from the 'Charity Hospital Help Desk' through the online system to make reserved beds available to patients from the poor and vulnerable groups," it said.
The government has approved 186 posts of charitable health workers in charitable hospitals, and they should be filled immediately, the CMO statement said.
Talking to reporters here, Fadnavis said it was "insensitive" on the part of the hospital to deny admission to a pregnant woman.
He conceded that there was a lot of anger among the people over the incident.
"Medical ethics are needed. The Chief Minister's medical cell also intervened, but the hospital did not budge," Fadnavis said.
An internal inquiry report of the Mangeshkar Hospital claimed that the allegations of denial of admission for non-payment of Rs 10 lakh were "misleading" and made "out of frustration" by her family.
The woman's pregnancy was in the high-risk category, and her two underweight fetuses of seven months, coupled with a history of an old ailment, required Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) treatment for at least two months, it said.
The treatment required Rs 10 lakh to Rs 20 lakh and the family was advised that in case of lack of funds, they could admit the patient to the government-run Sassoon General Hospital for a complicated surgery, it added.
BJP MLC Chitra Wagh, meanwhile, came under criticism for a social media post praising the party's women's wing members who targeted and vandalised a private clinic in Pune's Kothrud area belonging to Dr Shusrut Ghaisas, who works at the hospital.
Dr Nilima Ghaisas, his mother, said her son did not practice there.
Activist Vishwambhar Choudhari criticised Wagh's remarks and claimed that the BJP-led state government recently allotted land to the hospital for Rs 1 per year rent.
The deceased woman's husband was the personal assistant of a BJP Member of the Legislative Council, yet he could not do anything, Chaudhari said.
