THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Rs 10 for a coffee and Rs 20 for one litre of mineral water! It was a surprise feast that awaited the delegates at the food counters set up at Kairali and New theatres. No wonder, the counters meant to help delegates save time from going out for a refreshment, had only a few visitors on Friday. “Perhaps it would be after having to drop the plan to hike the delegate fee that the IFFK authorities thought of making money this way,” quipped Anil, a delegate. It is learnt that the food courts are run by private parties assigned by the IFFK authorities. The exorbitant rates have evoked much resentment among the delegates. The counters charge Rs 10 for a cup of coffee or tea, Rs 10 for a snack and Rs 10 for a ‘porotta’. The only relief is for the lovers of chicken curry, for it costs only ` 50. It seems that those running the counters have identified mineral water as the most profitable item. Two different brands of one litre of mineral water, originally priced below Rs 15, are sold at the counters for Rs 20 and Rs 30 respectively. Water is also sold in sealed plastic cups at Rs 5 per cup. Several delegates opined that the Civil Supplies officials who are busy inspecting hotels in the city to check unofficial hikes should visit the food counters. “It is against the Packaged Commodities Rules and the fair prices of food products agreed at a meeting convened by the ADM. The officials should intervene in this issue also,” a delegate said.
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