Did TN govt ask STC drivers to stop buses at vegetarian eateries only?

FACT CHECK:

Buses operated by the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation and the State Express Transport Corporation (SETC) usually stop at roadside hotels during lunch breaks.

These hotels obtain an annual contract from the Government of Tamil Nadu. Government buses stop only at these licensed hotels. However, many of these hotels are reported to be distributing poor and unhygienic food and that the prices too were high.

In this regard, the Government of Tamil Nadu issued a contract notice for the year 2022, setting new rules. The department introduced many new conditions and mainly stated that only restaurants serving vegetarian foods were permitted to participate in the bidding process to get the license.

Authorities claimed that it is easier to maintain hygiene if meat was not involved in the cooking process as most of the earlier complaints were related to non-veg hotels.

This veg-only clause drew flak from not only passengers, even drivers, and conductors of the government buses.

Following this, the government revoked its decision. A statement from the state directorate of information and public relations department issued read, "Following complaints from commuters and hotel owners, we have revised the rules. The rule that the hotels should serve only vegetarian food has been retracted."

"The decision to roll back the 'only veg' clause was taken after an outcry by the passengers and hotel owners", ANI reported.

The rule of only veg hotels does not apply anymore. Thus, the claim is misleading.

(Source: The Print, The Federal)