BHUBANESWAR: The Odia Language, Literature and Culture department has asked all heads of subordinate offices and districts not to permit the city-based Yatri Bhojan Pvt Ltd for any catering/food service contract.
The direction came after the office of the chief resident commissioner (CRC) at New Delhi flagged non-payment of outstanding dues and violation of licence agreement by the firm, and urged all departments to not take its service.
The office of the CRC has already terminated its licence agreement made for operation of Odisha Niwas canteen service on account of gross negligence, violation of terms and conditions, unsatisfactory performance and pending Rs 32.94 lakh dues towards monthly licence fees.
In October last year, an inspection was conducted by a team of officers following a complaint filed by Gangeswari Majhi, wife of Nabarangpur MP Balabhadra Majhi, who had found a cockroach in the food served to her for dinner by the canteen of Odisha Niwas.
The inspection team had found that the entire kitchen operated by the firm was infested with insects which is hazardous to health and safety of guests in gross violation of FSSAI Act and rules. Later, the canteen manager begged for an apology.
Accordingly, a complaint was also filed against the firm before the FSSAI, New Delhi for gross violation of its rules and food safety standards that compromises the safety of health, life and public interest.
Stating that the firm is a wilful defaulter of government dues and it deliberately defaulted the responsibilities entrusted to it, additional resident commissioner Sucharita Sarangi had urged all departments not to consider the firm for any such catering service contract.
All outstanding dues cleared
Yatri Bhojan authorities, however, denied the allegations and claimed that the firm had experienced exceptional operational and financial disruption due to the Covid-19 pandemic and it was repeatedly communicated to Odisha Niwas officials through various formal representations.
Managing director of Yatri Bhojan Pvt Ltd Ashish Kumar Samal said the Odisha Niwas officials who are stated to have issued the government order did not communicate with the company regarding the issuance of such a letter. Accordingly, the government order was issued without any prior information or opportunity for the company to present its side.
Samal said despite the hardships outstanding dues of Rs 14.92 lakh has been paid to the government.
“The Resident Commissioner’s office confirmed the receipt of Rs 14.92 lakh from Yatri Bhojan towards outstanding dues and included a detailed statement including those levied for the pandemic-disrupted period. It is evident that communication with officials remained ongoing, rendering the government order apparently unfounded and unwarranted,” he said.
Informing that all outstanding amounts related to the pandemic period have been settled by Yatri Bhojan in a spirit of cooperation and amicably, Samal said, the firm which has been engaged in multiple service contracts, has always complied with all lawful directives during the course of its operations.
"Yatri Bhojan is an official IRCTC e-catering partner, providing digital food delivery solutions to railway passengers nationwide. The allegations made against the firm is baseless and unfounded," he added.