PIL challenging the appointment of FSSAI Chairperson

The Delhi High Court today sought the Centre's response to a PIL which challenges the appointment of K Chandramaouli as Chairperson of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) claiming that he has no experience in food safety/food science and technology as prescribed under FSS Act.
A bench of Chief Justice D Muriugesan and Jayant Nath sought the Health Ministry's FSSAI and others' response by August 17 on the PIL filed by Lok Jagritian, a registered society.
The PIL said "Chandramaouli has never been associated with food science or safety aspect in his entire career. In the Ministry of Health, he has been associated with AIDS control programme and only towards the end as Secretary, Health, he was made administrative head of the ministry.
"He has no idea about the regulations of food laws and as such he is issuing various advisories which are against the mandate of the foodlaw," the plea also said.
Referring to Chandramaouli's direction for closure of the Central Food Laboratory, (CFL) Gaziabad, the PIL said "CFL is also a referral laboratory under FSS Regulations 2011, the closure of which will require approval of the board of Food authority, amendment of the FSS Act Rules and Regulation...".
"He, being the person having no prior experience or knowledge of food sciences, does not seem to understand the repercussions his arbitrary actions will have on the whole food regime of this country," the plea said.

Smoking kills 2500 Indians everyday

The tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced. Mass media campaigns, graphic warnings and alternative crop options for tobacco growers can help stop or reduce the estimated 800,000-900,000 tobacco-attributable deaths per year in India, experts say.
According to Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) - India 2010, tobacco use is a major preventable cause of death and disease and is responsible 1 in 10 death among adults worldwide. Approximately 5.5 million people die around the world every year - with India accounting for nearly a fifth of this.
Shekhar Salkar, general secretary of National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE)-India said: "Everyday, almost 2,500 people die in India due to consumption of tobacco and smoking. Many people even suffer from asthma and bronchitis, other than cancer and heart attacks."
According to WHO findings, hard-hitting anti-tobacco advertisements and graphic pack warnings, especially those that include pictures, have reduced the number of children who begin smoking and increased the number of smokers who quit in many countries.
In India, the average age of starting tobacco use is before 15 years, according to the GATS - India 2010 report.
Bhavna Mukhopadhyay, executive director at Voluntary Health Association of India, said "glamorisation of smoking" impacts young people, but counter messages during smoking scenes in films help in discouraging people.
It is believed that if celebrities are shown smoking, it influences impressionable minds. To counter that, a new law mandating a disclaimer about the evils of tobacco use has to be flashed while showing smoking scenes in films or on television.
To make disclaimers more efffecitve, Salkar felt they need to be more creative and innovative.
"A brief interview of those who were addicted to tobacco or cigarettes should be shown instead of the same old images," Salkar said.
For instance, filmmakers can attach clippings of celebrities talking about the harmful effects of tobacco with their films, he added.
Different people have different reasons to smoke. There is a segment of young smokers who resort to cigarettes to de-stress themselves. For such smokers, medical aid is the best option.
"Some students like to smoke so that they can study all night, some do it due to failed relationships or bad results. Smoking is not the answer. They need to take medical help or exercise, do yoga and relax the mind," Salkar said.
Food habits can also help to a certain extent in preventing smoking.
Annapurna Agrawal, nutritionist at Snap Fitness India, put it interestingly, saying the solution is "sitting in the refrigerator". Drink milk or eat carrots before smoking, she advised.
Explaining why, she said: "When these are taken before smoking, a bitter taste develops, which can discourage people from smoking."
Also, if fruits rich in Vitamin C like lemons, oranges and amla are consumed in large quantity, it reduces the urge to smoke, Agrawal added.
The other way to do it is by eating salty items like pickles and chips.
Mukhopadhyay felt that more than anything, it is about "self-determination" and "family support".
Various kind of anti-tobacco campaigns, methods and schemes are underway, but Salkar thought the government needed to take better steps.
"The government needs to convince farmers to not grow tobacco. They should be given incentives for growing other crops. This should be done gradually otherwise there will be a rise in farmer suicides," he said.
It seems that every government body is doing its bit.
Health & Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has said that while the livelihoods of tobacco growers cannot be endangered, there is need to work toward moving farmers and farm workers out of the tobacco industry.
"We cannot indefinitely tolerate a public health hazard in the name of protecting livelihoods," the minister said after releasing GATS - India 2010.
Later the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the apex body to ensure food quality in the country, under its Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011 restricted the use of products that contain any substance that may be injurious to health.
Its immediate effect was when Madhya Pradesh banned gutka and pan masala. Kerala, Mizoram, Gujarat, Bihar, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Delhi soon followed and most recent to join the list is Tamil Nadu.
Another area that needs to be focused on is establishing more and more economical rehabilitation centers to help addicts. Right now, the rehab centres and medications are few and far between and expensive.

கலப்பட டீத்தூளை ஒழிக்க வேண்டும் சுகாதாரத்துறை ஆணையருக்கு எம்எல்ஏ கோரிக்கை

நாகை, மே 30:

கலப்பட டீத்தூளை முற்றிலும் ஒழித்து மக்களை காப்பாற்ற நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும் என்று சுகாதாரத்துறை ஆணையருக்கு நாகை எம் எல்ஏ மனு அனுப்பியுள்ளார்.

நாகை மாவட்டம் கீழ்வே ளூர் எம்எல்ஏ மாலி, தமிழக அரசின் சுகாதாரத்துறை ஆணையருக்கு அனுப்பி உள்ள மனுவில் கூறி இருப்பதாவது:

தமிழகத்தில் உள்ள கிராம புறங்களில் உள்ள டீக்கடைகளில் மனிதனை கொஞ்சம் கொஞ்சமாக கொல்லக்கூடிய கலப்பட டீத்தூள் பயன்படுத்தப்படுவது நாளுக்கு நாள் அதிகரித்து கொண்டிருப்பது கவலை அளிக்க கூடியதாகும். கடந்த காலங்களில் உணவு கலப்பட தடுப்பு சட்டம் அமலில் இருந்தபோது மாநகராட்சி, பேரூராட்சி மற்றும் குறிப்பிட்ட சில வட்டாரங்களில் மட்டுமே பொது சுகாதாரத்துறை மூலம் உணவு ஆய்வாளர்கள் தங்கள் பிரதான பணியான சுகாதார துப்புரவு பணியோடு உணவு ஆய்வுப்பணியையும் சேர்த்து உணவு கலப்பட தடுப்பு பணி யை செய்து வந்தனர். ஆனால் 5.8.2011 முதல் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் தரச்சட்டம் 2006 இந்தியா முழுவதும் அமல்படுத்தப்பட்ட பிறகு தமிழகத்தில் சுகாதாரத்துறை கட்டுப் பாட்டில் புதிதாக தொடங்கப்பட்டுள்ள உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் மருத்துவ நிர்வாக துறை மூலம் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு பணி செய்யப்பட்டு வருகிறது. கிராமம், நகரம் என்ற வேறுபாடின்றி தமிழகத்தின் அனைத்து பகுதிகளிலும் உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை அதிகாரிகள் செயல்பட்டு வரும் நிலையில் விஷத்திற்கு சமமான கலப்பட டீத்தூள் தயாரிப்பு தங்குதடையின்றி செயல் பட்டு வருவது எப்படி?

தயாரிக்கப்பட்ட இடத்திலேயே கலப்பட டீத்தூளை கைப்பற்றி அழிப்பதிலோ அல்லது அந்த தொழிற்சாலைகளை செயல்படாமல் தடுப்பதிலோ என்ன சிரமம் இருக்க முடியும். மரத்தூள், உபயோகித்த டீத்தூள், பல்வேறு மக்கிய இலைகள், தழைகள், குதிரை கழிவு உட்பட உடலுக்கு கேடு விளைவிக்க கூடிய பசியை மறக்க செய்ய கூடிய சிறு நீரக கோளாறுகளை ஏற்படுத்த கூடிய, உயர்ந்த பட்ச மாக புற்றுநோயை ஏற்படுத்த கூடிய ஏதேதோ சாயங்கள் கலந்துதான் கலப்பட டீத்தூள் தயாரிக்கப்படுகிறது. இந்த விவரம் தெரி யாமலே அப்பாவி மக்கள் டீக்கடைகளில் டீ குடித்து கொண்டு இருக்கின்றனர். மற்ற மாநிலங்களை ஒப்பிடுகையில் தமிழகத்தில்தான் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரிகள் அதிகமாக உள்ளனர் என்பது நல்ல அம்சம். தமிழகத்தில் மட்டும் 516க்கு மேற்பட்ட உணவு பாது காப்பு அதிகாரிகள் உள்ளனர். சென்னை மாநகரில் மட்டும் 50க்கும் மேற்பட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரிகள் உள்ளனர். ஒன்றியத்திற்கு ஒரு உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரியும், நகராட்சி பகுதிகளில் மக்கள் தொகைக்கு ஏற்பவும் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரிகள் உள்ளனர். ஆகவே தமிழக அரசின் சுகாதார துறை செயலாள ரும், உணவு பாதுகாப்பு ஆணையரும் விரைந்து செயல்பட்டால் தமிழகத்தில் கலப்பட டீத்தூளை முற்றிலும் ஒழிக்க முடியும்.

இதன் மூலம் பல லட்சம் அப்பாவி மக்களை காப்பாற்ற முடியும். இவ்வாறு அவர் அதில் கூறி உள்ளார்.

துறையூர், மண்ணச்சநல்லூரில் தடை செய்யப்பட்ட புகையிலை பறிமுதல்

துறையூர், மே 30:

துறையூர், மண்ணச்சநல்லூரில் பான் பராக், குட்கா உள்ளிட்ட தடை செய்யப்பட்ட புகை யிலையை அதிகாரிகள் பறிமுதல் செய்தனர்.

துறையூர் நகராட்சி பகுதியில் உள்ள பெட்டிகடை, மளிகை கடைகளில் தடைசெய்யப்பட்ட பான்மசாலா, சிகரெட் விளம்பரங்கள், புகையிலை பொருட்கள் ஆகியவை விற்பனை செய்யப்படுவதாக நகராட்சி ஆணையர் அலுவலகத்துக்கு தகவல் கிடைத்தது. இது குறித்து நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க ஆணையர் மதிவாணன் தலைமையில் இன்ஜினியர் ரவிச்சந்திரன், துப்புரவு அலுவலர் ஸ்டீபன்ராஜ், பொது சுகாதரஆய்வாளர்கள் சதானந்தம் ராஜமுர்த்தி நகராட்சி அலுவலர்கள் உள்பட 20 பேர் அடங்கிய குழு அமைக்கப்பட்டது.

இந்த குழுவினர் நகராட்சி பகுதியில் உள்ள பஸ் நிலையம் பள்ளிகள் அருகில் உள்ள பெட்டிகடைகள், மளிகைகடைகளில் நேற்று திடீர் சோதனை நடத்தினர். அப்போது, தடைசெய்யப்பட்ட பான்மசாலா, சிகரெட் விளம்பரங்கள், புகையிலை பொருள்கள், குறைந்த மைக்ரான் அளவுள்ள பிளாஸ்ட்டிக் பைகள் பறிமுதல் செய்யப்பட்டது. கடைகளில் சிகரெட் விளம்பரபலகையை அகற்றி ரூ.100 அபராதம், பொதுஇடத்தில் புகைபிடித்த 5 பேருக்கு தலா ரூ.100 அபராதம் விதிக்கப்பட்டது. அப்போது நகராட்சி ஆணையர் மதிவாணன் கூறுகையில், இதுபோன்ற சோதனை தொடரும். பள்ளிகள் அருகில் 300 அடி தொலைவுக்குள் தடைசெய்யப்பட்ட பொருட்கள் விற்றால் சட்டப்படி நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும் என்றார்.

மண்ணச்சநல்லூர்:

திருச்சி மாவட்ட சுகாதார துறை துணை இயக்குநர் கே.சி.சேரன் அறிவுரையின்படி மருத்துவ அலுவலர் டாக்டர் வல்லவராஜ் தலைமையில் மண்ணச்சநல்லூர் வட்டார சுகாதார மேற்பார்வையாளர் குமரேசன் மற்றும் சுகாதார ஆய்வாளர் சாமுவேல் மனோகரன், டி.சுப்பிரமணியன், எ.சுப்பிரமணியன், விஸ்வநாதன், தட்சிணாமூர்த்தி, ஆனந்தன், ரவிச்சந்திரன், ராஜேந்திரன் உள்ளிட்ட குழுவினர் நெ.1 டோல்கேட், நொச்சியம், மண்ணச்சநல்லூர் உள்ளிட்ட பகுதிக கடைகள் நேற்று ஆய்வு செய்தனர். அப்போது தடைசெய்யப்பட்ட குட்கா, பான்பராக் உள்ளிட்டவை விற்பதை கண்டறிந்து பறிமுதல் செய்தனர். பொது இடத்தில் புகை பிடித்தவர்களுக்கு தலா ரூ.100 அபராதம் விதித்தனர்.

Tamil Nadu bans manufacture, sale of gutkha and pan masala

Tamil Nadu government has issued an order banning manufacture and sale of gutkha, pan masala and all other products containing nicotine and tobacco.
Relevant regulations of the Food and Safety Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011, made by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India and the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (Central Act of 34) provided that tobacco and nicotine shall not be used as ingredients in any food products as they were injurious to health, a recent government order (GO) said.
"And whereas, gutkha and pan masala are food products in which tobacco and nicotine are widely used as ingredients now-a-days," the GO was issued, Commissioner of Food Safety, Kumar Jayant, said.
"Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (a) of sub-section (2) of Section 30 of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the Commissioner of Food Safety of the state of Tamil Nadu, in the interest of public health, hereby prohibits the manufacture, storage, distribution or sale of gutkha and pan masala and any other food products containing tobacco or nicotine as ingredients," it said.
The ban was against such products in whatsoever name they were available in the market across Tamil Nadu for a period of one year from the date of issue of this order, the GO dated May 23, 2013 said.
Making a suo motu statement in the assembly on May 8, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had referred to Supreme Court's remarks in a case pending before it seeking to know the action taken by state governments in controlling usage of tobacco, and had announced the government's decision of banning those products in the state.

World Street Food Congress Meeting

On the eve of World Street Food Congress beginning on 31 May in Singapore, Singapore tourism acknowledges acumen of Indian street food vendors and gives food safety and hygiene certificates to 8 Indian street food masters

Indian  food vendors get training on food safety and hygiene policies and procedure

“Yakeen kijiye, yahan bhee litti chokha aur litti mutton ka dhoom machega”, Ashok Sah tells NASVI representatives over phone from Singapore

Singapore/New Delhi, 30 May:  The touring Indian street food vendors on Thursday got another feather in their caps in Singapore with the Singapore tourism acknowledging their grit and  acumen of street food vending.  On the eve of the World Street Food Congress (WSFC) beginning there from 31 May, the Singaporean authorities announced to honour the team of Indian street food vendors  with food safety and hygiene certificates.
“We are all set to make thunder here during the ten day long international street food carnival.  The ice breaking is over. The team is upbeat and forward looking”, said Sangeeta Singh, street food programs manager of the National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) who is leading the Indian team in Singapore.
The WSFC  would have 40 street food stalls of 32 countries. The maximum stalls would be from India.
Alongside the ten day long WSFC, the World Street Food Dialogue would also take place in Singapore on 3-4 June. The dialogue would have presence of more than 50 key speakers including NASVI national coordinator Arbind Singh. Mr. Singh would be speaking on ‘India’s Quest to Legitimize Five Million Street Food Vendors, Future Potentials & Vision of NASVI’. The speakers would share, discuss and present on the ways to preserve, professionalize and create new opportunities for street food vendors across countries.
On Thursday, hygiene training took place at Shetoc Institute for the participating street food vendors. The Indian team comprising of Gulab Singh and Rajan (Delhi), Ashok Sah and Vijay Chaudhary (Patna), Bhaskar Urs and Ashok (Mysore)  and Narayanswami and Akbar (Dharwar) was clubbed with American,Thai and Malasian groups. The training progressed in three sessions.
In the first session, the  facilitator and trainers made a power point presentation on Microorganisms, Food borne illness and Food contamination.  Initially the participating vendors got nervious hearing words like Bacillus cerus,salomonella and vibro parahaemolyticus.  Gulab singh said “pahle thoda padhne me dhyan diya hota to aaj aur maja aata”. When it was translated, all laughed and made Gulab Singh relaxed. Holding pencils and chart papers, the vendors took part in the training in a very serious manner  as they had to pass the test for fetching certificates.
All the topics were explained nicely by the instructor. The funny moments also came.  Once  when  Mr. Narayan swami of Dharwar  failed to answer a paticular question, he  told the trainer, “ Why do you speak so meekly, I do not hear the question. Without hearing loud, how can I answer the question?”
Most serious was the youngest member of the team ,Vijay chaudhary from Patna. He could understand English words.  he read the guidebook and answered most of the questions.
The issues discussed in the training include importance of good personal hygiene, medical legislations and guidelines. water management, preparation of food,  safe servicing and safe storage. The most interesting session was on HACCP(Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point).  Not a single participant was aware of  the issue.  A short quiz was also conducted to check the understanding of the vendors.  In the third session, the participants had to go for written test which was multiple choice test.Before test,  they were given 60 minutes to revise. Gulab singh, Narayan swami and Akbar were nervous . Tthey started having stomach cramps and sweating. The instuctor cooled them.  It was an awesome scene. The street food masters of holding knife, scoop and daddle puzzled out the question papers with pencils in hands.
Sangeeta Singh translated the questions and their options and the vendors circled the right options in their answer sheets. It contained 48 questions to be done in 55 minutes.  The Indian team finished it in 50 minutes.All of them did well except Narayanswami who made more than 10 mistakes.To passs the test,  it was compulsory to have 100 marks. An oral test was again taken and in that all the vendors passed.
The final was the practical test in the laboratory.  To test the hygiene understanding of the participants,  they were asked to make butter sandwich. They were observed closely by the trainers. All did well in the practical test.
After the training based tests, Ashok Sah of Patna told NASVI representatives over phone from Singapore, “ Yakeen kijiye, yahan bhee litti chokha aur litti muttion ka dhoom machega ( Stay assured, ltti chokha and litti mutton would be a big hit here also)”.

Govt wants checks for pesticides in food

NEW DELHI: A Central government panel has recommended stringent checks for pesticides in fruits and vegetables, including imported ones.
Submitting a report before a bench comprising Chief Justice D Murugesan and Justice Jayant Nath on Wednesday, the panel — led by a health ministry official — is for intensive monitoring of pesticide residues on fruits and vegetables sold in Delhi. The experts committee, chaired by Sandhya Kulshrestha, was set up by the government at HC's behest to suggest ways to remove presence of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables.
"No fruit or vegetable consignment should be allowed to enter into the country without a pre-dispatch pesticide testing report by the exporter. Samples of imported fruits and vegetables should be drawn at international arrival points and monitored for pesticide residues. For this, guidelines may be drafted on a priority basis," the panel said.
It added that the state government can establish a cell to handle issues related to pesticide residues on food articles. HC will now consider the suggestions.

Authorities act against poor quality food

LUDHIANA: A drive has been launched in the city against manufacturers, who are violating norms of the Food and Safety Act. An ice cream parlour in Model Town, Rawat Ice Cream, was recently slapped a fine of Rs 50,000 for not complying with the sub-standards of the Food and Safety Act. Another person from Machhiwara was fined Rs 50,000 as milk powder also did not meet the laid out standards.
Food and Safety Inspector Harpreet Kaur said the parlour was not following the specifications laid in the Act as the ice creams contained 5.35% of milk solids content as against the required 10%.
Neeru Katyal Gupta, Additional Deputy Commissioner-cum-Adjudicating Officer (Food Safety), has demanded a strict action against shopkeepers and manufacturers who violate the sub-standards for various eatables such as ice creams, cheese and butter among others.
"Maintaining a standard in food items is very important because even little adulteration can lead to greater health hazards. As far as fines and punishments are concerned, the maximum fine that can be imposed on a defaulter is Rs 5 lakh," she said.
Rameshwar Das, owner of Rameshwar Bateesa Factory, Tajpur Road, was handed a fine of Rs 30,000 as three worms were found dead in the sweets prepared at his unit. Another bateesa maker Anil Kumar was also slapped a fine of Rs 30,000 due to presence of a 4-metre long plastic thread in his produce.
Dr Aasheesh Ahuja, a senior medico from Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), said, "Casual approach towards food especially milk products can cause some serious health ailments. If a milk product does not have the prescribed amount of milk (calcium) that means it would have an excess amount of carbohydrate or some other mineral which would be very harmful."
The doctor further said that adulteration in food is quite common these days and often hampers children's mental and physical growth. "Further, it is one of the reasons why kids these days suffer from stomach diseases and allergies," he pointed out.

No respite from drug menace:: Ephedrine worth Rs 50 lakhs seized

Imphal, May 29 2013: A team of Narcotics and Affairs of Border (NAB) seized 25 kilograms of ephedrine used in the manufacture of various psychotropic drugs from three persons at Iroishemba near the gate of Central Agricultural University yesterday.
According to OC of NAB RK Bikramjit, a team of NAB led by himself, on receiving a tip-off, rushed to Langol Games Village area and remained vigilant there to check any suspicious vehicle.
The team saw a smoke grey coloured Maruti 800 car bearing registration number WB 02R/1221 speeding along Uripok-Kangchup Road at around 3 pm yesterday.
The team stopped and checked the car at Iroishemba near the gate of Central Agricultural University.
There were three persons inside the car and the drugs were found concealed in a fertilizer bag at the back seat.
The local market value of the seized drug has been estimated at around Rs.50 lakhs.

Ephedrine worth Rs 50 lakhs seized

The arrested persons have been identified as Md Latif Ali (27), s/o (late) Md Ahmed of Thoubal Moijing Thongkhong, Md Wahab Ali Firdos Khan (32), s/o Md Maniruddin of Thoubal Moijing Palli, presently staying at near Hatta Baptist Church and Md Abdul Wakil (28), s/o Md Amu of Hatta near Public Hospital.
The arrested persons have collected the ephedrine drugs from different places and they were about to smuggle the drug consignment to Moreh, the OC disclosed.
The police have registered a case in connection with the seizure.
Meanwhile, the banned tobacco products Zarda and Khaini worth over Rs.2 crores seized by 20 Assam Rifles from Chandel yesterday have been handed over to the custody of Food Safety Officer, Chandel.
It may be mentioned that the State Cabinet had passed a resolution on February 26 last to ban sale and consumption of non-smoking tobacco products in the State as per Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Regulations, 2011 in the State with immediate effect.

Forum finds water samples unfit

 

Tests Done In 6 Districts; Samples From Govt Hospital, Rly Stations Substandard

Chennai: Water samples collected from taps and borewells in public and private places in six districts have been found to be contaminated. In Chennai, water from taps at Chennai’s Rajiv Gandhi government general hospital, Central railway station and Egmore railway station were also found to be unfit for consumption. 
    An assessment by Consumer Association of India for 2012-13 said half of 1,222 water samples tested in Erode, Nilgiris, Kancheepuram, Vellore, Trichy and Chennai were found to have microbial organisms, suggesting that they are unfit for human consumption. Nearly 44% of samples have total dissolved solids (TDS) count higher than the permissible limit of 500mg/litre (parts per million). The water samples lifted from industrial areas around Perunthurai SIPCOT in Erode, and Manali near Chennai, were found to be unfit for drinking. A consolidated report of results of drinking water samples tested in six districts was released on Monday. 
    Experts said a high TDS count may cause gastrointestinal irritation. A hydrogen sulphide test will indicate the presence of disease-causing microbial organisms. In Chennai, the tests covered Avadi, Sembium, Manali, Nazarethpettai, Iyyappanthangal, Mannivakkam and 15 zones of Chennai corporation. 
    Surprised by the results of water samples drawn from hospitals and railway stations, the volunteers of CONCERT, a centre for consumer education and research, retested the samples and found that they were unfit. 
    Noted consumer activist R Desikan said even packaged drinking water was not fit for human consumption. “People have to think of boiling water before consumption,” he said, recalling the recent findings of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board that said only 51 out of 85 private water packaging units in and around Chennai were supplying potable water. 
    With groundwater extraction being excessive, the water quality has taken a beating in neighbouring Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts. Bureau of Indian Standards scientist H L Upendar said that poor sanitation was the core problem. 
    In Perunthurai, the water samples tested near SIPCOT dyeing units reveal the poor state of affairs. A resident of Kambuliampatti in Perunthurai block, T M Thangamani, said locals suffered from skin and eye conditions after the units started letting out untreated water into the ground five years ago. “More than 80 dyeing units in Perunthurai SIPCOT are causing problems, as a result of which nearly 21 village panchayats have poor ground water. The water is dark in colour,” she said.