Keep strict tabs on bottled water manufacturing units, DC tells officials

MANGALURU: Deputy Commissioner K G Jagadeesha on Wednesday directed officials concerned to ensure continuous inspection of food preparation units across Dakshina Kannada district for effective implementation of Food Safety and Standards Act. The food safety inspectors must specifically pay due attention to bottled water manufacturing units, collect samples periodically, get is tested in the laboratories and ensure that it is fit for human use, DC said.

Chairing a meeting of district level committee under the act, DC said there are 16 bottled water manufacturing units in Dakshina Kannada. Each such units must mandatorily obtain a permission from Indian Standard Institute (ISI) to carry out their activities. Urban local bodies or panchayathi raj bodies are not entitled to issue license to such units in their jurisdiction if they do not ISI license and such licenses must be revoked forthwith if they have issued one.

A detailed note will be issue to all urban local bodies and gram panchayats in this regard shortly, DC said while directing officials to crack down on all illegal water bottling units functioning in the district. Expressing displeasure that periodic inspection of such water bottling units is not happening on a regular basis, Jagadeesha directed the nodal officer under the Act to carry out the same and provide inspection reports to his office in proof of compliance.

Observing there are complaints of chemical adulteration of food sold on roadside eateries, fast food hotels, DC directed the officials to keep a watch out on such food joints as well. He advised people not to use foods served in such joints that are rich in colour for they could be adulterated. Likewise, the authorities concerned must run public awareness campaigns to educate people about the ill-effects of consuming such adulterated food on their health, he noted.

Averring that there are complaints about artificial ripening of fruits using chemicals, he directed the officials to inspect wholesale fruit godowns and wholesale fruit merchants for such instances. Action should be initiated against anyone found guilty of use of chemicals on fruits for pecuniary gains, he said while advising officials to also inspect lorries that bring fruits from outside the state and ensure that there is no chemical adulteration of fruits at source.