Mumbai (PTI): Mahatma Gandhi's grandson Arun Gandhi passed away at Kolhapur in Maharashtra on Tuesday after brief illness, family sources said.

The funeral of the 89-year-old author and socio-political activist will be held at Kolhapur later today, his son Tushar Gandhi told PTI.

Born to Manilal Gandhi and Sushila Mashruwala in Durban on April 14, 1934, Arun Gandhi followed in the footsteps of his grandfather as an activist.

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Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge on Wednesday said the state government is working to appoint an agency to manage clean drinking water units in rural areas.

The state Rural Development and Panchayat Raj minister was responding to a question by Hirekerur MLA U B Banakar in the legislative assembly.

"In the rural areas of the state, many clean drinking water units have been set up under corporate social responsibility (CSR) grants, including contributions by MLAs and MPs, and handed over to gram panchayats. After the maintenance period, problems have arisen in keeping these units operational," Priyank said.

He added that a proposal has been made to award a maintenance contract to one of the country’s reputed drinking water unit manufacturing companies, but so far, no companies have come forward to take up the work.

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"The government is continuing its efforts and will resolve this problem soon," he said.

On a query regarding fluoride content in water, the minister said water quality testing is being conducted monthly in all zilla panchayats.

"Laboratories have been opened for this purpose. Around 6.5 lakh water samples have been tested across the state, and water testing kits have been provided to villages," he added.