The Hindu Business Line : Packaged water alright, but is it genuine?

FOR every one licensed manufacturer of packaged drinking water in the State, there are two unlicensed manufacturers, estimates the Bureau of Indian Standards.

Karnataka has about 70 licensed packaged water makers under its control but there are easily 150 unlicensed operators despite a 2001 notification making the ISI mark mandatory for packaged water, estimates Mr P. Sengupta, BIS director. The all-India numbers too could be just as high, with 998 licensed operators and at least another thousand unlicensed ones, according to him.

While Bangalore has over 40 licensed sellers, there are a large number of unlicensed manufacturers operating. This is especially true in Mysore and Tumkur where there is one licensed operator in each district (`Marina' and `Surabhi's dew' brands respectively) while the unlicensed number seven-eight in each district, the BIS estimates. "There is no accurate estimate of the actual numbers of unlicensed operators across the country, says Mr Sengupta, adding, however, that the BIS' efforts have resulted in increased compliance especially during the past year.

"This year too we expect another ten operators to seek the ISI certification in Karnataka and the BIS is focussed nationally on compliance with norms in the food and, especially, water segments during the year,'' he said.

The BIS norms are in line with the EU norms for packaged drinking water and, in fact, more stringent on some parameters. "We check for compliance on the hygienic conditions of manufacture as well the content of the water for its chemical, pesticide, toxic chemical, microbiological and bacteriological compliance as well as for radiological parameters," said Mr Sengupta, adding that the organisation was conducting up to six checks annually on its licensees to ensure compliance apart from the conditions of the certification.

The BIS can ensure compliance with the requirements of the ISI mark and certification and routinely conducts raids on makers with fake ISI marks but has no authority with the unlicensed manufacturers since they are breaking the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act and the matter is for the Governments to enforce.

More Stories on : Water | Standards & Benchmarks | Karnataka

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