Ranchi: The latest report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), tabled in Parliament, has confirmed the presence of E. coli bacteria in drinking water samples collected from several railway stations, including Madhupur under Eastern Railway. The CPI(M) has termed the matter a serious lapse on the part of the Railway Board and the Ministry of Railways and demanded that responsibility be fixed and strict action taken against those responsible.
The CPI(M) said that the presence of E.
coli bacteria in drinking water can cause serious health problems, including diarrhoea and food poisoning, and may also lead to kidney-related complications. Providing contaminated drinking water to passengers at railway stations is therefore a matter of grave concern, the party said.
The party alleged that in the era of liberalisation and privatisation, greater emphasis is being placed on profits at the cost of passenger amenities and health and safety. It said that ordinary passengers are being made to bear the consequences of such negligence and that no compromise with their health and lives can be tolerated.
The CPI(M) further said that reports of unhygienic and bacteria-contaminated food products being found at large restaurants and companies in metropolitan cities such as Mumbai have also raised serious concerns over food safety.
Against this backdrop, the party demanded that the government and the Railway Ministry ensure regular testing of drinking water at all railway stations. It also called for fixing accountability for the supply of contaminated water and taking stringent action against officials found responsible.
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