BJP MLA Shivaram Hebbar's son Vivek joins Congress
Bengaluru, Apr 11: BJP MLA Arabail Shivaram Hebbar's son Vivek Hebbar on Thursday joined the Congress party along with his supporters at Banavasi in Uttara Kannada district.
After quitting the BJP, Vivek Hebbar joined the party in the presence of state Congress Vice President and former MLC Ivan D'Souza and other local party leaders.
Speculations have been rife about his father Shivaram Hebbar, an MLA from Yellapur assembly segment, also planning to join the Congress, ever since he did not turn up for voting during the polls to four seats of the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka held on February 27.
The senior Hebbar's absence from voting, despite a party whip, had caused embarrassment to the BJP. He had, however, later attributed his absence to poor health.
The BJP had also issued notice to him, which he responded to.
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Shivaram Hebbar had recently met Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress chief D K Shivakumar, but claimed that the meeting was about water issues in his assembly segment
The senior BJP leader was earlier with the Congress. He was among 17 Congress-JD(S) legislators, who had quit from their parties, which ultimately led to the collapse of the then H D Kumaraswamy-led coalition government in July 2019.
Shivaram Hebbar had subsequently won the bypoll on a BJP ticket and served as a minister in the then government of the saffron party.
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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.
