Panaji: A Division Bench of the Bombay High Court at Goa comprising of Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Prithviraj Chavan today directed that the report received from Chief Secretary Dharmendra Sharma on his inquiry into the complaint filed by Adv. Aires Rodrigues over the 2016 BRICS summit Rs 51 lakh food scam be forwarded to the Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) which should continue its inquiry.
Pointing out that the Court on 24th April had stated that Chief Secretary’s report should also include suggestions as to how the working conditions of the Goa Police can be improved and proper care be taken, the Court today observed that the Chief Secretary in his report had only observed that the police personnel in Goa were robust and could withstand long hours of work.
Adv. Aires Rodrigues in his complaint to the GHRC on 14th October 2016 had submitted that the contract for a whopping Rs 51, 60,000 was given to Amonkar Classic Caterers for supply of food to police personnel posted on duty for the BRICS summit but that the contract was sub-let to a road side contractor who clandestinely prepared the food in an open space.
Pointing out that road side laborers were engaged for cooking the 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 and grass around 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 the 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 pointed out that the Government cannot 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.
