MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. C.P. THAKUR)
(a)to(d): A statement is laid on the table of the Lok Sabha.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 336 FOR 12.12.2001.
(a) Yes, Sir.
(b) to (d) : As per information received from the
Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi
and Ministry of Railways, the position is as under:
Sl. Year No. of No. of samples
No Samples of of Mineral Water Mineral Found Water Adulterated tested
1. Railways 1999-2000 3069 292 2000-2001 3065 245
2. Govt. of 1999-2000 35 3 NCT of Delhi 2000-2001 18 1
The prosecutions are launched in the court
under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act
against the products found adulterated.
The standards for mineral water have since been
revised. Further, this product is now compulsorily
to be manufactured, sold or exhibited for sale only
under the certification mark of Bureau of Indian
Standards for which manufacturers have to get a
licence form the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
This will improve the quality of this product.
Upto now, 325 licences have been issued by the
Bureau of Indian Standards for manufacture of
Packaged Drinking water. Only three manufacturers
have taken the licence to manufacture and sale of
Natural Mineral water in the country. One
manufacturer in France has been issued licence to
manufacture natural mineral water for marketing in
India.
With the above scheme there is a drastic
reduction in the number of manufacturers of Mineral
water.
In addition to the compulsory certification
scheme of BIS, these products are tested under the
PFA Act, 1954 by the State/UT Governments and if
such samples are found to be adulterated,
prosecutions are launched in such cases under the
provisions of PFA Act, 1954.
