Worried about their own food security, MPs have convinced the Lok Sabha Secretariat to restore the kitchen at Parliament House. It has been closed since a fire hazard in it was pointed out in a report.
Our MPs are now plied with food and snacks prepared outside and brought into Parliament House before 9 am. Though the imported food is kept in hot cases, the
Delhi weather being what it is, some of the items become stale or rotten.
After a number of MPs complained about this threat to their stomachs, the Lok Sabha’s budget committee decided to restore the kitchen in Parliament House. A meeting of the committee, chaired by deputy speaker Karia Munda, took stock of the problems inherent in feeding over 8000 people during Parliament sessions and decided that a kitchen on the premises was necessary.
The meeting, attended by senior MPs Murali Manohar Joshi, Fracisco Sardinha, Lok Sabha secretary-general Viswanathan, also discussed safety in the kitchen. A proposal to bring in piped CNG was discussed but found not viable. Deputy speaker Munda asked officials if electric appliances could be used.
Sources said the Parliament House kitchen is likely to be ready by the time the winter session begins.
According to an official, food supplies to our MP must be brought in before 9 am, much before the arrival of VIPs. Once the VIP movements starts, it would be difficult to bring food inside.
At present, cooking starts around 3 am in the kitchens in the Parliament library building and the Parliament Annexe.
The parliament House kitchen was closed on July 2 on the advice of the Delhi Fire Service which recommended against use of LPG cylinders.