JDS minister's 'street dog' jibe at BJP leaders
Bengaluru, Dec 29: Taking a dig at BJP leaders, who were "expecting" the Congress-JDS coalition government to fall, JDS leader D C Thamanna has drawn an analogy between them and the 'street dogs' while refuting BJP lawmaker Umesh Katti's claim that the dispensation would collapse soon.
Katti had recently claimed that 15 disgruntled MLAs of the ruling coalition were in touch with him and that the saffron party would form the new government in Karnataka by next week.
Hitting out at Katti, Thammana said, "J H Patel (a former chief minister) had once narrated a story in the state assembly about an elephant and street dogs. He recalled Patel saying an elephant was walking ahead of street dogs who were hoping something would fall from atop the tusker that they would eat.
"Neither did the food fall, nor the dogs got something to eat. This story fits perfectly with BJP leaders, who are expecting this government to fall," the Karnataka Minister told reporters on Friday at Maddur near Mysuru.
Replying to a query, Thamanna said Katti has been predicting the government's fall "today or tomorrow" for quite some time.
"For the past seven months, we are hearing this every day but this has not materialised," he said.
Soon after Katti's claim, state BJP chief and Leader of the Opposition B S Yeddyurappa had ruled out any attempt by his party to destabilise the present dispensation.
He said his party would take an "appropriate decision" if there was political instability in the state.
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.
