Packaged drinking water units sealed for poor quality control

Department of Food Safety and Drug Administration begins crackdown

Following outrage expressed by the National Green Tribunal, Southern Bench, over hundreds ofpackaged drinking water manufacturing units functioning without obtaining consent from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board TNPCB), the Department of Food Safety and Drug Administration on Friday started cracking down on offending units in the district.

Eleven units were ordered closed, with five units in Palani, one each in Oddanchatram, Natham, Reddiyarchatram, and three units in other parts of the district.

Department of Food Safety and Drug Administration Designated Officer D. Gunasekaran said that action was initiated after testing samples collected from these units. The water was of a very poor quality in 50 per cent of the units. "Many units had been selling purified water without ISI certification. Show cause notices had been served to the units well in advance and a 15- day grace period given to them to submit explanations. When no explanations were forthcoming, the units were sealed," he said.

Apart from these units, sources revealed that at least 20 water making units have been functioning at Balakrishnapuram, Thadikombu Road, Tiruchi Road, Karur Road, District Collectorate and Palani Road and Siluvathur Road in Dindigul town, without ISI certification. No action has been taken against them.

But Dr. Gunasekaran argued these companies did not sell water under any particular brand name. The water was packed in containers at night and supplied to other companies for marketing. "We cannot take action against them directly. We have brought the matter to the knowledge of the Collector (who has) to direct the revenue officials to initiate action against those units. Complaints were also given to the Collector in this connection," he added.