(a) whether he Railways have introduced bottled potable water named `Rail Neer` for sale to public without the ISI mark;
(b) whether any exemption has been given in this regard;
(c) if not, the circumstances under which the Railways are allowed to sell the bottled water without
the approval of ISI standard;
(d) whether the Government have finalised the norms for bottled mineral water, presently being manufactured
and marketed by private companies; and
(e) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION ( SHRI SHARAD YADAV )
(a) to (c): No, Sir. M/s Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited, New Delhi, applied to
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for grant of BIS Certification Marks Licence to use Standard Mark on packaged
drinking water as per Indian Standard IS 14543:1998. After due verification of their manufacturing and testing
facilities available with them at their premises located at Northern Railway Wireless Station Area, Rohtak Road,
Nangloi, Delhi - 110041 and subsequently passing of their samples in independent testing, the BIS Certification
Marks Licence No. CM/L-8540072 was granted to them for a period of one year from 30th April, 2003 to 29th April, 2004.
(d) & (e): BIS has already evolved amendments in the relevant Indian Standards for Packaged Drinking Water and
Natural Mineral Water in order to align them with the world`s best norms for pesticide residues. They will be implemented
as and when they are incorporated in the Prevention of Food Adulteration Rules, 1955 which is administered by Ministry of
Health and Family Welfare.