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The maximum number of licences issued to private packaged drinking water manufacturers by Bureau of Indian Standards is in Tamil Nadu, followed by Maharashtra.
Of the total 2,719 licences issued to private drinking water firms in the past three years, 615 were in Tamil Nadu and 364 in Maharashtra.
In 2013-14, packaged drinking water firms in Tamil Nadu were granted 220 licences, followed by 142 in Maharashtra and 131 in Karnataka, according to the Consumer Affairs Ministry.
This year, 80 licences were issued in Tamil Nadu in three months (April 1 to June 30), Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan told the Lok Sabha during the recently concluded session. He was replying to a question by KN Ramachandran of the AIADMK, on the complaints received on the quality of packaged water.
The Minister said BIS granted licences only after the premises of the firm was inspected and all the requirements checked. “Prior to the grant of licence, it is ensured that the firm has taken all necessary corrective action to rectify the shortcomings observed during preliminary inspection,” he added.
The Minister said so far this year, four complaints (Kinley Brand Bottle, Bisleri International in Jaipur, Vastal Aqua in Noida, IRA Beverages in Faridabad) had been received, on which investigations were underway.
He also informed the House that between 2011 and 2014, the Government imposed ‘stop marking’ on eight packaged water firms after taking action on the complaints.
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