Deplorable that union govt has submitted false information to SC: CM Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru, Apr 8: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday accused the union government of submitting “false information” to the Supreme Court in an attempt to “deceive” the court about the rightful drought relief that the state is entitled to, and termed the move “deplorable”.
Faced with continued delays by the union government in providing the rightful drought relief to Karnataka, the state government was compelled to seek justice from the Supreme Court, he said.
Siddaramaiah, in a release said that during today’s hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that the Karnataka government is to blame for the delay in drought relief, suggesting a political motive behind it.
“This is highly condemnable,” Siddaramaiah said.
ALSO READ: Let there be no contest between the Centre and States: SC on K'taka's plea for drought funds release
The Solicitor General stated that “for drought relief, they (Karnataka) could have talked to us (union government). We know the timing of these petitions. Lordships may not issue notice, it also becomes a news”, and he attempted to shift blame onto the Karnataka government to cover up the union government's failures, the chief minister said.
The Supreme Court on Monday while hearing the Karnataka government’s plea seeking a direction to the Centre to release financial assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to the state for drought management said, "Let there not be a contest between the union and the state."
The Karnataka government has declared a total of 223 out of 236 taluks as drought-affected. While 196 taluks are categorised as severely affected, the remaining 27 as moderately affected.
Nothing that he has repeatedly said over the past 2-3 months that his government had submitted to the union government in September 2023 itself a memorandum including the details of the losses and the expected relief amount for the drought, Siddaramaiah said, "After that, I and Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda had met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi to appeal (for release of drought relief funds).”
Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar too had separately met the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, he said, “Despite this, the union finance minister and the home minister shamelessly continue to falsely claim that the Karnataka government has been late in submitting its request. Today, the union government repeated this lie before the Supreme Court as well.”
The Supreme Court, taking into account the statement made by the Solicitor General of the union government, has postponed the case for two weeks, the CM said. The union government is required to prepare its response before the next hearing.
“Our fight against the injustice done by the union government in the provision of drought relief will continue not just on the streets but also in the courts. We will expose the lies of the union government one by one and reveal its true face to the people of the state,” he added.
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.
