Summary:
Shortage ‘created’ to boost sale of bottled mineral water, say passengersKuldip BhatiaLudhiana, June 10The railway station, one of the busiest junctions in the region, is reeling under scarcity of water, all with erratic functioning of water coolers, missing taps and disrupted supply of drinking water at various platforms. While insiders point towards the ‘water mafia’ (comprising some railway venders and colluding railway employees) behind ‘created’ shortage of drinking water to boost sale of bottled mineral water, railway authorities stoutly deny the allegation. To make matters worse, water coolers installed at the railway platforms to provide cold drinking water to passengers operate in an erratic manner. ‘No water mafia, pilferage of taps a routine affair’Ludhiana railway station director Abhinav Singla said: “There is no such thing as water mafia and pilferage of taps is a routine affair at such a large railway station. As soon as the missing taps or fixtures are noticed, the engineering wing is directed to replace the same immediately..