Sucheta Dalal :Unhygenic Lassi in uneconomical earthen Khullars
Sucheta Dalal

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Unhygenic Lassi in uneconomical earthen Khullars  

May 15, 2005

Railway Minister Laloo Prasad Yaday is back to his old tricks of diverting attention from the cases registered against him through outrageous gimmicks. His latest gimmick is to ban on softdrinks on railway platforms, reports The Hindu. Should we stand by and allow him to play with the health of millions railway passengers?


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Date:15/05/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/05/15/stories/2005051503780800.htm

National

Railways to ban sale of soft drinks

NDA blamed for "miserable condition" of Railways

CHHINDWARA (M.P.): Railway Minister Lalu Prasad on Saturday announced that the sale of soft drinks would be banned on trains and in stations and indigenous products would replace them.

"A ban will be imposed on serving of cold drinks in trains and railway stations," he told a public meeting after laying the foundation stone of the Rs. 384-crore Chhindwara-Nagpur broad-gauge line project.

"Passengers would be treated to milk, butter-milk and other such drinks in trains," said Mr. Prasad, who had introduced `kulhars' (earthern cups) for serving tea to passengers soon after he took over last year. The Minister, however, did not specify when the proposed ban would come into effect.

`No' to privatisation

Talking to reporters later, Mr. Prasad ruled out the privatisation of Railways. "The National Democratic Alliance government had initiated steps towards privatising the railways, but the United Progressive Alliance would not allow it at any cost," he said.

Due to the "wrong policies" of the NDA Government the Railways was in a "miserable condition" and the country lagged in rail operations, he said. Affirming the Centre's determination to make Indian Railways the "number one" rail network in the world, the Minister said talks had been held with German leaders in this regard.

Parallel lines would be laid between Delhi-Howrah and Delhi-Mumbai exclusively for goods trains. Funds would be obtained from Germany at low interest, he said.

On the formation of a Government in Bihar and Union Minister Ramvilas Paswan's demand for appointing a Muslim Chief Minister, Mr. Prasad said the Lok Jan Shakti Party MLAs had "deserted" Mr. Paswan, depriving him of the chance to form a government.

PTI

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-- Sucheta Dalal