suppliers and vendors operating catering stalls of the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (irctc) are agitating against a decision which, they allege, promotes packaged drinking water of multinational companies.
Earlier this year, the Indian Railway Board had asked the irctc to use only products of reputed brands. The irctc then prepared a list of four multinational water brandsBibo, Kinley, Kingfisher and Aquafinaand Rail Neer, produced by irctc. The board also asked irctc not to provide free water pouches with meals to passengers.
It is unfair to discriminate against local brands that meet international standards, said V N Thampy of the catering contract workers union.
irctcs Ernakulam area manager, S Sreekumar, said production capacity of local brands is inadequate; irctcs selection depends on the quality and turnover of the company, he said.