Unauthorized drinking water plant sealed

TIRUNELVELI

Officials attached to the Department of Food Safety sealed an unapproved drinking water plant near Palayamkottai on Monday.

 Following information about the functioning of an unapproved drinking water bottling plant, ‘Blessing Aqua’ at Kurinji Nagar at Palayam Chettikulam near here, Food Safety Officers A.R. Sankaralingam and R. Sankaranarayanan inspected the plant on Monday. As it was found that the company was functioning without mandatory Bureau of Indian Standards and FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) permissions, it was sealed.

 Moreover, the water purifiers, which had been installed without permission, had not been cleaned and the entire premises was in unhygienic condition besides there was no credible facility for solid and liquid waste management, the officials said.

 “There was no analysis report for the drinking water being packaged in the plant as there was no laboratory to test the water before being bottled. Though the company was using groundwater as its raw material, no permission had been obtained for drawing water. The workers were not wearing mandatory gloves, cap and apron while working. Hence, we recommended for the sealing of the plant,” said Mr. Sankaralingam.

 Following recommendation from his subordinates, Designated Food Safety Officer R. Sasi Deepa sealed the drinking water bottling plant on Monday while water samples lifted from the plant were sent for analysis. Subsequently, Food Safety Commissioner P. Senthilkumar promulgated emergency prohibition order for operating the plant.