No inquiry against top police officers, Amarinder tells AAP
Chandigarh, July 3: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday ruled out an inquiry against state Director General of Police (DGP) Suresh Arora and DGP, Intelligence, Dinkar Gupta over allegations of shielding other senior police officers on the drugs racket in the state.
Amarinder Singh, who met a delegation of senior AAP leaders who raised the issue of the drugs menace in the state, particularly in the context of the recent spate of drug-related deaths, rejected the demand for inquiry into allegations against the two senior police officers.
The Chief Minister described them as "upright officers in whose honesty he had full faith", a spokesman for the Chief Minister said here.
There were allegations that both top police officers had been shielding former Moga Senior Superintendent of Police Raj Jit Singh against whom allegations of links to the drugs trade were levelled.
The Chief Minister told the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) delegation that he shared their concern over the problem, and that three big drug dealers who had fled India had been identified and police and other agencies were in pursuit of them.
The 12-member AAP delegation demanded a court-monitored Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry and action on the Special Task Force (STF) report, to which the Chief Minister pointed out that the matter was before the court, which was already monitoring the action.
The AAP leaders, who demanded a special assembly session to discuss the issue, expressed concern over the easy availability of drugs in certain areas, as well as reports of sharing of drug money with police.
On the issue of drug-related deaths, the delegation said they suspected intravenous injection of some concoctions by the addicts, while Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann said the addicts could go to any extent to curb withdrawal symptoms.
He was of the view that the panches and sarpanches in villages and municipal councillors in urban areas should be motivated to identify the drug addicts and those supplying drugs to innocent youth.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
13 lakh litres of 'Rail Neer' supplied to train passengers daily: Government
New Delhi (PTI): Approximately 13 lakh litres of packaged drinking water -- 'Rail Neer' -- are being supplied to train passengers across the railway network daily, the government informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday.
Apprising the Lower House about the Indian Railways' endeavour to provide safe and potable drinking water facilities at all stations, the government also provided zone-wise details of the water vending machines (WVMs) installed there.
"To ensure the quality of drinking water being made available at the railway stations, instructions exist for periodical checking and required corrective action to be taken.
"Regular inspection and maintenance of drinking water facilities is carried out and complaints are attended to promptly," Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while responding to a question raised by BJP MP Anup Sanjay Dhotre seeking to know the supply of drinking water at railway stations across the country
"Complaints regarding deficiency in services, including water supply, are received through various channels such as public complaints, web portals, social media, etc. These complaints are received at various levels, including the Railway Board, zonal railways, division office, etc.," Vaishnaw said.
"The complaints so received are forwarded to the concerned wings of Railways and necessary action is taken to check and address them. As receipt of such complaints and action taken thereon is a continuous and dynamic process, a centralised compendium of these is not maintained," he added.
Providing zone-wise details of water vending machines, the minister said 954 such machines have been installed across railway stations.
"The Indian Railways also provides safe and affordable packaged drinking water bottles -- Rail Neer -- approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in trains and at stations," Vaishnaw said.
"Approximately, 13 lakh litres of Rail Neer are being supplied per day to the travelling passengers in trains and at stations across the Indian Railways network," he added.
