The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Drinking water units violating norms?

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 05, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Drinking water units violating norms?

By Ravi Reddy

NIZAMABAD, MAY 4. Utter confusion reigns among various departments in the district which are unable to take any action against packaged drinking water units which are allegedly flouting the Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) norms.

There has been a mushroom growth of unregistered packaged drinking water units in the district. There are more than 50 unregistered units of which 20 are functioning from Nizamabad town. Only one unit has the mandatory BIS certificate. The plants have cropped up not only in small towns but also backward mandals of the district. The unregistered units are operating taking advantage of the confusion about the BIS standards. Despite regular raids, may of these units have not obtained the BIS certificate. The Commissionerate of Industries vide its circular had asked the District Industries Centres (DIC) to identify all units manufacturing packaged drinking water and enlighten them about the Ministry of Health notification which makes is mandatory for all units to be certified by the BIS under the "Popular Products Certification Scheme (PPCS).''

More than 500 such units were functioning in the State and many had not applied for BIS certification. It was pointed out that the units were violating the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act thereby endangering the safety of the general public. The manufacturing units had not followed the directions to get themselves registered with the Industries Department.

The sole aim of the manufacturers appears to be to make easy money. The units are located in unhygienic surroundings and the water used as per the reports of the State Food Testing Laboratory (SFTL) is not suited for consumption. The plant owners are flooding the market with their products. Most of the sachets and the bottles do not contain the batch number and the BIS certification number. In some cases, the date of manufacture is not printed.

The public health section in the municipalities, the Inspector of Factories, the local bodies and the DIC, which are supposed to keep a tab on the functioning of these units are unable to act because of the confusion.

The Municipal Health Officer, Md. Sirajuddin, who conducted a series of raids in the recent past told The Hindu that barring one no other units had the BIS certification. The municipal body could only serve notice on the erring units and only after reports of water samples sent to the State Food Laboratory, Hyderabad, are received the judicial process starts. "So far 12 units have been served notice,'' he pointed out.

Dr. Sirajuddin, said even as court proceedings were on, the erring units either downed their shutters or disposed of the machinery. "There is no clear direction as to which department should take the lead in curbing the activities of unregistered units,'' he added.

The Inspector of Factories, Y. Gangadhar Reddy, also echoed similar sentiments and said departments are helpless. "The vague rules have made it impossible for officials to punish the erring manufacturers,'' he pointed out. He said units which employ 10 workers come under the purview of the Factories Act. But, none of these units have more than four workers. "These units had obtained permission from gram panchayats and never bothered to get the BIS certification,'' he added.

Officials of the Industries Department pointed out that very few packaged drinking water units had registered themselves with the department. "No units have obtained the provisional registration certificate,'' an official said adding that the manufacturers have not opted for the PPCS.

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