Surveys for prohibition of illegal packaged drinking water manufacturers

As we all know, Water is essential for all dimensions of life. Over the past few decades, use of water has increased, and in many places water availability is falling to crisis levels. High quality water is now more than the dream of the conservationists, more than a political slogan; high quality water, in the right quantity at the right place at the right time, is essential to health, recreation, and economic growth.

Taking this importance given to water in daily life, and to good health, we , the Loksatta CHC(Citizen Help Centre) decided to inspect the quality of water supplied in packets, bottles at various places in and around Hyderabad. AfterAfter all our inspections and investigations, we found that there are 2 to 10 (approx) water plants manufacturing the packaged drinking water illicitly and improperly using ISI standard mark illegally. Complete details for your reference and awareness, below.

Event : Survey on illegitimate manufacturing of ISI packaged drinking water, (sachets, bottles, cans etc) in Hyderabad, RangaReddy and Medak Districts, breaching the Bureau of Indian Standards Act 1986

Date : During the month of March ( It has been carried all through the month, at various places)

Office(s) Visited : Survey on nearly 60 places, water packets gathered from various public places.

Purpose :

1. To reduce illegitimate manufacturing of packaged drinking water
2. To control illegal usage of ISI mark, and there by ensuring good health to people.

 Govt. Orders Used and Details : As per the BIS(Bureau of Indian Standards) Act, every packaged drinking water manufacturer has to obtain permission from BIS.

 Procedure : 

1.  Visit http://nicdc.nic.in/CMMS/InternetRep/HORepListOfLicences.aspx?Report=14 to get the list of packaged drinking water manufactures who obtained licence. Type IS no: 14543 and get the report (or) If you dont find adequate information, please file a RTI to BIS Hyderabad (Visit http://www.bis.org.in/ for more details on BIS Act and Rules)
2.  Buy a water packets or bottles at your nearby places like Cool drink shops, Pan Shops, APSRTC bus stations so on.......
3. Check if there is valid ISI mark on the water packets (Check the following link for more information on this http://bis.org.in/other/enf.pdf.
4. Check the name and address of the manufacturer have granted permission from BIS(You already got list of genuine manufactures from step 1)
5. File a complaint online at http://www.bis.org.in/cad/complain.htm or send a mail to addresses in below mail
6. File a RTI to track the status of the complaint.

 Activities Done:

• Getting a list of water plants which have been granted license and permission by BIS organization, in Hyderabad Dist and Rangareddy Dist. The results are : BIS granted permission for 60 Water plants in Rangareddy Dist and 18 in Hyderabad.
• We found that there are 2 to 10 (approx) water plants manufacturing the packaged drinking water illicitly and using ISI standard mark illegally.
• We later found that these illegally packaged water is circulated to the nearby APSRTC Bus Stations, Pan shops, Cool Drink Shops, Water Kiosks, Wine shops, Theatres etc. creating havoc to the health of the general public. Even educated people are getting cheated here with illegal use of standard ISI mark.
• Gathering those water plants, we have sent a mail to Bureau of Indian Standards, with the list of Manufacturer’s details we gathered in our survey, and also the CM/L details.
• The request is to take legal proceedings, as per the Bureau of Indian Standards Act 1986 under section 33, at the earliest on all the illegitimate manufacturers of packaged drinking water in all the districts in Andhra Pradesh and safe guard the health of lakhs of people who are consuming them unknowingly.
• We got immediate response from BIS authorities that required action would be taken.

Advantages: 

•  Illegal activities will be controlled.
• Any level of corruption is identified and taken care of.
• Good health to people.

In other words, "More desciplined, corruption free, legally strong and healthy nation"

 Most of us have never really learned how important water is to us. We understand it, but we do not respect it.

It is high time we spread the awareness to every body in the society so that they can "ACT" when they see similar cases in their localities. In a billion+ people country like ours, the winning against the anti social elements, can only be achieved through UNITY.

 Join us and participate in this WAR. Let us work hard to see that "GLORIOUS INDIA" "DEVELOPED INDIA" before we die!!

 Jai Hind!