FOOD FOR THOUGHT

According to a recent news item, pesticides had been found in a “Kohila” curry which was to be served in the Parliament canteen and serious concerns had been expressed by the Speaker himself, going to the extent of suggesting that the “food tasters” should first check the food before being served to the Honourable Valuable Members of Parliament to avoid any sort of disaster happening to them.


Whilst nobody will dispute the fact that “Kohila” with its nutritional qualities especially as a cure for those with uncontrollable sudden anger is the most appropriate dish for our hard-working peoples’ representatives, pesticide is completely another issue which needs to be seriously gone into. One might argue that even pest control is a necessity when it comes to driving away pests – but that is entirely another issue!

Now the moot point is who actually cares for the general public who are forced to eat all sorts of vegetables, including Kohila, grown in various nooks and corners with all the attendant germs, worms etc. which comes as a total package albeit at a heavy price as well. The poor consumers are forced to buy whatever is available in the market to suit their purses and eat whatever they cook just to fill their stomachs for the day. Perhaps, the ordinary folks have by now grown immune to germs etc. and have no time or inclination to go into such matters as pesticides used by the growers to keep the pests away. Food Tasters is a luxury they cannot even afford to dream of !

Perhaps, the Honourable MPs should also seriously consider bringing a “buth packet” from home – what with an army of servants at home – just like our ordinary office worker whose wives have to get up at the break of dawn to prepare the lunch parcel.

But then, when one thinks of the heavily subsidized prices at which the rich meals are served to the so called “servants of the people” how could they even dream of bringing a home-made “buth packet” – because, they, more than anybody else know the real cost of living!