FDA skips checking Metrowater, Tasmac

CHENNAI: Complaints about some Tasmac shops selling spurious liquor and piped water being contaminated have been around for a long time. However, the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has not taken any samples from either Metrowater or Tasmac, both government establishments. 

The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which came into effect on August 5, 2011, sets standards for various consumable products, including water and alcohol, and provides for checks on parameters such as substance or quality demanded, extraneous but harmless matter, misbranded items and unsafe for consumption. 

FDA officials said no checks had been conducted on Metrowater and liquor samples. "There are some practical difficulties in collecting samples from government departments like Metrowater and Tasmac. We do collect packaged drinking water samples," an official said. FDA figures show just 21 packaged water samples were collected between April and November 2013. Seven were found unsafe and 10 substandard. 

The city corporation has stopped quality checks on piped water. "Earlier we used to conduct checks. But FDA has to conduct it after the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 came into effect," said a corporation official. 

Sources said leaky pipelines, overflowing sewage, open defecation and corroded pipelines had led to severe water contamination. "The sewage and muck seep into pipes and pose severe health threats to residents," said N Muraleedharan, who stays near Karnataka Sangha School on Habibullah Road in T Nagar. Metrowater officials say they have an internal monitoring system to check the quality of drinking water. 

Many tipplers say complaints against spurious liquor are rarely attended to. "There are several instances where cheaper Indian varieties have been sold in imported liquor bottles. But nobody seems to conduct any checks," said a regular customer at a Tasmac outlet in Royapettah. Tasmac officials say they take action based on complaints received on the phone numbers 18004252015 and 28542303. Sources said there was a huge racket in the supply of fake liquor, labels, bottle caps and security stickers to Tasmac outlets where liquor is sold after 10pm when they close. 

In contrast, the mechanism to ensure safe water and alcohol seems to be better in other states. Kerala food safety commissioner Biju Prabhakar said they have collected several water and liquor samples and taken action against violators. "Anything consumable comes under the Food Safety Act. But it all depends on how the officials enforce it. The safety of the public should be the top priority," he said.