9-yr-old Shreyovi Mehta named runner-up in Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition
New Delhi (PTI): A chance encounter with two peahens on a morning stroll through the forests of Keoladev National Park in Bharatpur has put nine-year-old Shreyovi Mehta in the annals of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year award.
The 60th edition of the prestigious award by Natural History Museum (NHM) has named Mehta runner-up in the '10 Years and Under' category.
Titled "In the Spotlight", Mehta's photo showed a pair of peahens, silhouetted under a canopy of trees at Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur, India.
Mehta's image was one of the nearly 60,000 photographs by participants of all ages and experience levels from 117 countries and territories.
Talking about receiving the recognition, Mehta said she wants to continue practising wildlife photography.
"I am glad that my image of our national bird has been given recognition by Natural history Museum at the biggest stage of wildlife photography. I will continue to practice so that one day even our national animal - the tiger gets the same recognition," Mehta told PTI.
The class five student from Faridabad will receive a medal at an award ceremony at the Natural History Museum in London on October 8.
"In this selection you see species diversity, a range of behavior and conservation issues. These images represent the evolution of the competition through the years, from pure natural history to photography that fully embraces representation of the natural world - the beauty and the challenges," Kathy Moran, chair of the judging panel, said in a statement.
The Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition will open at the NHM on October 11 and will run till June 29, 2025.
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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.
