Karwar: Congress-JD(S) alliance candidate from Uttara Kannada constituency Anand Asnotikar on Thursday filed his nomination papers at the Deputy Commissioner and Election Commissioner’s office here in Karwar.

Asnotikar was accompanied by Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and other party leaders, but absence of senior Congress leader of coastal Karnataka RV Deshpande did raise a few eyebrows.

Asnotikar who joined JD(S) from BJP ahead of 2018 assembly election will contest against Union Minister and sitting MP from the constituency Ananth Kumar Hegde, who has been the MP of the constituency since 2004.

Other leaders accompanying Asnotikar to the DC office included former Bhatkal MLA Mankal Vaidya, Suraj Naik Soni, Inayatullah Shabandri and others.

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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.