Shivaji statue collapse: Seven teams at work to trace sculptor Jaydeep Apte
Mumbai (PTI): Police in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg district have pressed more than seven teams to track down sculptor and contractor Jaydeep Apte, booked over the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s statue at Rajkot fort, an official said on Wednesday.
Police have been searching for 24-year-old Apte since the day of the collapse on August 26, but he has remained untraceable, the official said.
The Sindhudurg police have also issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) against Apte to prevent him from leaving the country through sea ports, airports and all other exit points, he said.
Teams of Sindhudurg police are searching for him at places, including Mumbai, Thane, Sindhudurg and Kolhapur. Some of the teams are using technical help to apprehend the accused, the official said.
A police team had visited Apte’s residence at Dudhnaka in Kalyan of Thane district, but it was locked, he said.
Apte had executed the contract to make the 35-foot statue of the Maratha warrior king that was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the fort in Malvan tehsil on Navy Day, December 4, last year.
After the statue collapsed, the Malvan police registered a case against Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil for negligence and other offences. Patil was arrested from Kolhapur last week.
The collapse of the statue of the iconic founder of the Maratha state has triggered a huge political row ahead of assembly elections in Maharashtra.
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.
