New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has
directed the Centre to constitute a task force to ensure
compliance of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) norms for
manufacturing and selling packed drinking water in the city.
The direction to this effect was passed after the
complainant alleged that authorities had not taken any action
against seven illegal units involved in manufacturing and
supply of bottled drinking water by flouting norms stipulated
under the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) and the BIS
Act, though their attention had been drawn to it.
The court in its recent order said the task force will
be constituted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
and it will comprise senior representatives of the Department
of PFA and the BIS, Delhi Government and Delhi Police.
"The task force will co-ordinate amongst the various
departments and constitute special crack units which will
undertake surprise checks at various locations of
manufacturers of packaged drinking water and initiate strict
action in terms of the provisions contained under the PFA as
well as the BIS Act," Justice S Muralidhar said.
The Bottled Water Processors Association had filed the
petition alleging that the packed drinking water was being
manufactured and sold in the city without licence and BIS
`Mark` by certain units and no action was taken to stop such
illegal activities even after it had supplied the addresses of
those manufacturers in June 2009 to the authorities.
The court made it clear that timely implementation of
all these directions were important since water borne diseases
were on the rise during summer.
According to provisions of PFA, packed drinking water
can be manufactured and sold only with licence and BIS mark
and any person making or selling it without these shall be
punished with imprisonment upto three years and fine.
PTI
