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E. coli detected in drinking water at some railway stations, CAG report cites violation of Railway Board norms
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A report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) revealed the presence of E. coli bacteria in drinking water from water coolers at several railway stations, including those in the Southern Railway.According to PTI, the CAG found that the Railway Ministry had framed several norms for passenger amenities at stations.However, zones failed to comply, leading to widespread service discrepancies, including E. coli in drinking water from water coolers and unhygienic washrooms, among others. The audit also found drinking water quality concerns, including chlorine levels outside the prescribed range.The latest audit by the CAG further claimed that nearly 90 per cent of non-suburban railway stations lacked the amenities prescribed for passengers.At which stations were E. coli bacteria found in drinking water?"Bacteriological analysis of drinking water was not carried out at 59 stations over six zones," the CAG said in its report — passenger amenities and sanitation at non-suburban railway stations in Indian Railways — tabled in Parliament on August 12."Water sample from water cooler was positive for E-coli at two stations [Coimbatore and Palakkad Junctions] in SR (Southern Railway), one station (Hyderabad) in SCR (South Central Railway), four stations (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Bhiwandi Road, Kalyan and Lonavala) in CR (Central Railway) and one station (Madhupur) in ER (Eastern Railway)," the CAG reported added after studying passenger services of 512 non-suburban grade stations across all zones, PTI reported."Test results of drinking water samples collected from taps in platforms at 49 stations in eight zones during 2022-23 and 56 stations in 9 zones during 2023-24 indicated presence of Total coliforms bacteria (including E-coli)," the report stated.The audit found bacteriological tests, other than Total coliforms, to be unsatisfactory at eight stations in four zones during 2022-23 and 11 stations in five zones during 2023-24.The CAG said the report covered instances identified during its 2019-20 to 2023-24 test audit, along with earlier cases not reported previously and, wherever necessary, instances from after 2023-24 as well.According to the report, there are 5,908 railway stations under the Non-Suburban Group (NSG), and Indian Railways operated over 7,424 passenger trains (non-suburban) daily and carried 292.4 crore non-suburban passengers in 2023-24.Outlining the purpose of the detailed inspection, the CAG said that the Railway Board had issued various guidelines for the provision of passenger amenities at stations and that an audit was conducted to assess whether Indian Railways' efforts to ensure the provision of passenger amenities and sanitation at stations yielded the intended benefits.'458 out of 512 stations deficient'The audit found that 458 out of the 512 selected stations, accounting for more than 89 per cent, were deficient in the provision of Minimum Essential Amenities (MEA).It said that at these 458 stations, MEAs were either not provided at all or were available below the prescribed norms."In April 2018, RB (Railway Board) issued comprehensive instructions prescribing Minimum Essential Amenities (MEA), Recommended Amenities (RA) and Desirable Amenities (DA) for stations categorised as NSG 1 to NSG 6. RB stipulated that MEAs were to be ensured at all stations by 31 August 2018," the report said."RB's instructions (April 2018) mandated that MEAs be provided first at all stations, irrespective of category. These include drinking water, waiting halls, seating arrangements, platform shelters, urinals, latrines, high-level platforms, fans, Foot Over Bridges (FOBs), dustbins, clocks and public address systems," it added.It found even stations like CSMT, Howrah, Sealdah, New Delhi and Mumbai Central, which come under the NSG-1 category, deficient in seating arrangements, sanitary facilities (urinals and latrines), dustbins and electronic train indicator boards, among others."Audit scrutiny of NSG-1
According to new claims, Audra Lynn Christiansen, former Playboy Playmate was abused, raped and trafficked by late Jeffrey Epstein. Allegedly Hefner contacted the FBI ‘multiple times’ on her behalf.A throwback image of Jeffrey Epstein from 2005.New details have emerged about Jeffrey Epstein, as reports suggest that Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, who died in 2017, personally alerted the FBI in 2005 about Epstein. Reportedly, Epstein had abused a former Playboy Playmate. However, it is claimed that the bureau did not follow up with the woman who was allegedly raped and trafficked until almost 15 years later.New allegations against Epstein by Hugh HefnerThe claim has been highlighted by Miami Herald journalist Julie K. Brown in her Substack this week. The allegations are said to be a part of an amended complaint filed in May in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida by 32 Epstein victims.According to the details in a lawsuit, Audra Lynn Christiansen, Miss October 2003, approached Hefner in 2005, alleging that Jeffrey Epstein had abused and trafficked her. She reportedly asked Hefner when she was 23 to contact the FBI on her behalf, believing that agents would take the allegations more seriously if they came from someone like him. It is claimed that Hefner contacted the FBI “multiple times” on her behalf.Christiansen stated that she was trafficked to one of Hefner's wealthy associates, Macau casino billionaire Stanley Ho, who died in 2020. According to the filing, she asked Hefner to report the allegations as he had the “clout” to bring authorities' attention.The lawsuit further alleged that the FBI failed to act on multiple reports concerning Epstein and his sexual abuse, which date back to 1996.According to the complaint, “Mr. Hefner called the FBI multiple times on behalf of Ms. Christiansen to report Jeffrey Epstein.” Christiansen, now 46, was reportedly contacted by the FBI in October 2020, after Epstein's death, to follow up on the 15-year-old complaint.The lawsuit includes a 2020 FBI report of a call, in which Christiansen said that she was introduced to Epstein by her agents. She added that Epstein wanted to meet her after her Playboy shoot was published.Christiansen later appeared on the reality television series The Girls Next Door. She also featured in Playboy's 2003 “Playmate data sheet”, where she described her ideal partner as “a secure older man who makes me laugh”.The filing also mentions Stanley Ho, whom Epstein reportedly described in a 2011 email as “the richest man in Hong Kong” and claimed “owns most of Macau”. For the unversed, Ho was one of the most prominent figures in Macau's casino industry.Meanwhile, the FBI sought to have the lawsuit dismissed in June, arguing that the agency was “not required to investigate every complaint” it received. The case remains before the court.The FBI has not yet publicly addressed Hefner's alleged reports about Epstein.The latest disclosure arrives amid growing scrutiny over how the FBI and Department of Justice handled cases linked to Epstein who continues to face multiple allegations including his alleged sex trafficking operation that exploited and abused minor girls.About the AuthorSneha BiswasSneha Biswas specialises in covering entertainment and pop culture, with a specialisation on Bollywood, Hollywood, OTT platforms, K-pop, K-dramas, and major developments in the US entertainment industry. She believes in telling stories that balance speed with substance, and in making entertainment journalism contextual, culturally aware, and reader-first rather than purely reactive. With over six years of experience in digital media, Sneha currently serves as a Deputy Chief Content Producer at Live Mint. She has spent more than three and a half years with the HT Group and returned to the organisation in February 2025, joining Live Mint to uplift the entertainment section. Over the past year, she has been closely involved in entertainment coverage including
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