The minister has got samples of water supplied by some companies and asked for cancelling contracts of some of them as samples were not upto the prescribed standard. He has also asked authorities to streamline supply of drinking water to railway passengers.

Committees have been constituted by the zonal railways comprising senior officials to scrutinise the quality of the mineral water and shortlist companies who confirm to the prescribed standard. Samples would continue to be examined from time to time to ensure hygienic supply of bottled mineral water to the rail users, official sources said today.

Meanwhile, water vending machines have been installed by the Northern Railway at New Delhi station to provide pure and safe drinking water to the travelling public. They can bring their owncontainers or buy a refill on platforms at half the cost of normal mineral water, the sources said.