NAGPUR: Based on TOI's report on unpackaged drinking water being sold in chilled cans, a petition has been filed in the Pune bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT) seeking closure of all units across the state that are selling water in chilled jars and cans, and posing serious threat to human health.On September 6, 2016, TOI after visiting six such units in the city, had exposed the unhygienic conditions in which the units were operating. They also did not have the mandatory licenses from Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).Two petitioners — Vijaysinh Dubbal and Dattatraya Bharne — are from Pune while the third — Santosh Sinha — is from Nagpur. They have moved the case through counsels Asim Sarode and Smita Sarode Singalkar The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), state government, ministry of health and family welfare, commissioner of Food and Drug Authority (FDA), commissioners of Nagpur and Pune Municipal Corporations, water sanitation department and regional director of Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) have been made the respondents.
The matter is expected to come up for hearing next week.Extensively quoting TOI's report, the petition states that the water sold in unpackaged and unsealed chilled jars and cans is not potable and hazardous to health. Though the unit owners claim that the water is RO and UV treated, no regular monitoring is being done."The water is drawn from unhygienic sources like bore-well and can contain various impurities and fungal growth. No permission is taken from CGWA for withdrawing groundwater," the petitioners said.The petitioners have also pointed out that there are no set of rules for units supplying unpackaged drinking water, most of which are operating in unhygienic conditions.
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