Zomato, Chandigarh eatery fined

Chandigarh, August 19

A food aggregator and a local eatery have been penalised for hurting the religious sentiments of two city residents, who were delivered a non-vegetarian dish against a vegetarian item they had ordered.

In a complaint to the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, UT, Vanshdeep Singh and Arjun Sood, both residents of Sector 8, stated that they had ordered a barbeque sandwich and Alfredo pasta, both vegetarian, through the online application of Zomato, a food aggregator. The order was to be delivered by Hash Guys, a restaurant in Sector 10. The food items were particularly chosen to be vegetarian on account of a holy week of Navratras, which was being observed by them.

They were shocked to find one of the ordered items to be non-vegetarian, a portion of which was consumed by them.

Vanshdeep Singh said he had strictly followed vegetarian diet since birth as his father was an Amritdhari whereas Arjun Sood was observing the holy week of Navratras, during which he did not consume non-vegetarian diet. They said the outlets hurt their religious as well as moral sentiments.

After hearing the arguments, the commission found the opposite parties deficient in service as a non-vegetarian dish was delivered against a vegetarian dish ordered by the complainants. On the account of this lapse, the religious sentiments of the complainants shall definitely be hurt, the panel observed.

The commission directed the opposite parties to pay Rs2,500 as compensation for harassment to the complainants and Rs1,100 as litigation cost. — TNS