Over tea, Parrikar talks about illness, willpower
Panaji, July 4: Over a cup of tea and a batatawada (potato chop) served on a paper plate, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday evening engaged with Goa's editors over his illness, his willpower to overcome it and, perhaps for the first time, expressed anguish at the lack of quality young leadership in the state.
The meeting was held in the conference room of the state Secretariat at short notice. It was Parrikar's first formal engagement with editors of local print and television media platforms, after he returned from the US after advanced treatment for pancreatic cancer.
The meeting, said the editors who attended it, was largely an informal affair, considering the nature of conversation which transpired between them and Parrikar.
Several editors who attended the meeting said on the condition of anonymity that while the exact nature of affliction suffered by the Chief Minister was not formally pronounced, what came through was Parrikar's sense of grit to overcome the disease, as well as a broad hint dropped by the Chief Minister about a genuine leadership crisis in Goa presently and in the coming years.
"The Chief Minister perhaps for the first time has voiced the need for good leadership. He said the state needed a leader who will take care of people, who is cultured and has character. The timing of such a statement, after he has returned from the US and is fighting a grave disease makes one think," an editor of a vernacular newspaper said.
Parrikar has been one of the tallest leaders in the state. In fact, he is the first politician from India's smallest state to be appointed as a full-fledged Union Minister, when he served for more than two years as the Defence Minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet from 2014-2017.
Once a political rockstar, who drew admiration from across the political spectrum, Parrikar in recent years has seen his popularity wane considerably over his consistent failure to deliver on poll promises as well as his condonation of tainted politicians and officials.
His absence from Goa, during his treatment stint in the US, however threw up the state in administrative chaos, after which a three-member Ministers committee was appointed by him.
Another key takeaway from the meeting, an editor said, was Parrikar's obvious determination to fight his illness.
"He was telling us that he did not take any stress when he was ill. Although he did tell us that he is still not fully fit and he will have to return to the US after the coming Assembly session. Parrikar said he would be in the US for around five-six days. He also said he had the willpower against his illness," an editor of a local English daily said.
Yet another editor said that during the meeting, a question was posed to Parrikar about the moment doctors told him about his disease. "Parrikar was quiet for a second after the question. And then he said 'I was not scared'," the editor said.
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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.
