(a)whether partially treated tap water is being sold as mineral water in various
parts of the country;
(b)if so, whether several companies involved in such wrongful trade practices
have been caught recently;
(c)if so, the number thereof, Statewise; and
(d)the concrete plans formulated to ensure that spurious mineral water bottles are
not able to reach the markets?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD
AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI TASLIMUDDIN)
(a):Packaged Natural Mineral Water and Packaged Drinking Water were
brought under Mandatory Certification Scheme of the Bureau of Indian Standards
through Gazette Notification No. GSR 759 (E) and GSR 760 (E) with effect from 29th
March, 2001 issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare under Prevention of Food
Adulteration (PFA) Act. According to these notifications, no person is authorized to
manufacture, sell or exhibit for sale Packaged Natural Mineral Water and Packaged
Drinking Water except under Bureau of Indian Standards Marks. Hence, the sale of the
Bottled Water by the manufacturers not having BIS Certification Marks Licence is illegal
and unauthorized under Prevention of Food Adulteration Act. State Health Authorities
are responsible for implementing the above provision under PFA Act.
(b) to (d): Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) through its Scheme of Testing and
Inspection and Surveillance Inspection ensures that all its licensees for Packaged
Drinking Water/Packaged Natural Mineral Water strictly adhere to the specifications
prescribed in the relevant Indian Standards. Whenever any discrepancy is observed by
the BIS, the licensee is placed under `stop marking` which implies that the Packaged
Drinking Water/Packaged Natural Mineral Water is not to be manufactured till corrective
action is taken by the licensee. Action against the manufacturers of Bottled Water
without ISI Mark is taken by the designated State Health Authorities under the provisions
of Prevention of Food Adulteration Act and Rules framed thereunder. In case, any
Packaged Drinking Water/Packaged Natural Mineral Water with spurious ISI Mark is
supplied in the market, action against the manufacturer of such product is taken by BIS as
per the provisions contained in the BIS Act 1986. So far, 61 search and seizure
operations have been carried out by BIS since implementation of Mandatory Certification
of Packaged Drinking Water/Packaged Natural Mineral Water. The State wise break up
for the last three years is as per Annexure.
ANNEXURE
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN PARTS (b) TO (d) OF REPLY TO LOK SABHA UNSTARRED
QUESTION NO. 1584 FOR 19/7/2004 REGARDING SALE OF SPURIOUS MINERAL WATER
DETAILS OF CASES OF MISUSE OF ISI MARK ON PACKAGED DRINKING WATER SINCE 2001
YEAR 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 up to 30-06-2004
Andhra Pradesh - 1 11 4 Bihar - - - - Chandigarh - - - - Chhatisgarh - 1 - - Daman - - - - Delhi 2 - 1 - Gujarat 4 2 - 1 Haryana - 1 1 - Jharkhand - - - - Karnataka - - 2 - Kerala - - - 1 Maharashtra - - 2 - Madhya Pradesh - - 4 - Orissa - - 1 - Punjab - - - - Rajasthan - - - - Tamil Nadu - - 7 - Uttar Pradesh 1 2 9 2 Uttaranchal - - - - West Bengal - - 1 -
Total 7 7 39 8