The Railway Protection Force arrested 1,371 individuals in connection with the sale of unauthorised drinking water after it received numerous complaints in this regard. According to several reports, customers and passengers were sold filthy drinking water in bottles made of counterfeit brands. In fact, in some places, water was sold even in discarded water bottles. Reportedly, the vendors used to sell drinking water by refilling these used plastic bottles.

Railways launched a major initiative called 'Operation Thirst' to put an end to this illicit sale of drinking water. Under the operation, RPF carried raids at major stations from every zone and caught the accused red-handed. 1,371 culprits were arrested so far, with the number of water bottles seized exceeding 69,000.

The operation was launched on July 8 and 9. The authorities have also imposed a fine of Rs 6,80,855 in case of any violation. RPF DG Arun Kumar said, “This unauthorised sale of drinking water was going on in a syndicated manner in which the railway pantry manager and the owner of the shop or stall which were situated on the platform of the railway station.”

Further, the raids carried out by the RPF also found that a lot of stalls have been selling drinking water out of packed bottles of counterfeit brands.

According to the official procedure, water bottles of only 'Rail Neer' can be sold on railway platforms and inside trains, if Rail Neer is not available, then one can sell water from brands which are authorised by the zone. 

― Zee Media Newsroom