Now, railway passenger served pakoda containing 'horrible looking bug'
In under two weeks, catering in railways has been hit by more than one controversy. First, there was the CAG report saying food served on trains is unfit for consumption. Not even a week later, a lizard was found in a meal served on the Howrah-Delhi Poorva Express. This time, it's a "horrible looking bug" in a pakoda served on Bihar's Sampark Kranti Express.
What happened?
Mohammad Azad Ali had boarded the train with his family at Chapra on August 2. He ordered a food packet costing Rs. 30. "After feeding a few morsels to my four-year-old son, the insect (in the pakoda) became visible," he said. He complained in person and on social media. Soon, the pantry manager apologized, officials came to enquire and a doctor checked his son.
But is prompt response good enough?
What good is efficient response if one has already consumed potentially toxic substances? According to official statistics, the Railways has received over 7,000 catering complaints since 2014. However, Railway Board Chairman AK Mittal seems to have a unique solution: 'carry home-cooked food to avoid troubles'.
