Goa government directed to submit Brics food scam report

Panaji: The Panaji bench of the Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed that the Goa Chief Secretary`s report on the alleged Rs 51 lakh Brics food scam during the 2016 international event, should be submitted to the Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC).

The decision by Justices Nitin Jamdar and Prithviraj Chavan came after the state government challenged the Commission order to the Chief Secretary to conduct a fresh enquiry on the alleged human rights violation caused by unhealthy food supplied to the police personnel on duty.

The state government had contended before the High Court that an enquiry had already been conducted.

In his petition before the Commission in October 2016, a city lawyer Aires Rodrigues said the contract for Rs 51.60 crore was given to a well known food caterer, but it was allegedly sub-let to another contractor who prepared the sub-standard food in an open space.

"Casual labourers were engaged for cooking the sub-standard food in most unhygienic condition, with water stored in open plastic barrels and used for cooking. 

The thick bushes and grass around insects and cockroaches found their way into the food served to the police personnel," the petition to then Commission alleged. 

While making all arrangements for the visiting international dignitaries, the state government conveniently neglected the basic fundamental and human rights of its own police personnel, the petition added.