Officials turn blind eye to mushrooming water plants in East Godavari
Water being filled into cans at a water plant in Rajamahendravaram
Rajamahendravaram: The apathetic and negligent attitude of respective officials relating to unauthorised water plants in the district is giving jitters to the people. The fake water plants are minting money at the cost of the health of people. Lack of coordination between the concerned departments turned out to be a boon to the managements of unauthorised water plants.
The Food Safety department is responsible for packed water such as manufacturing of water bottles and packets etc and for loose water plants come under the respective local bodies. In the district, there are 19 water plants that have Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certificates and nearly 150 to 200 unauthorised water plants are running without having any certificates and standards approval.
Out of 19 BIS certificate plants, there are four water plants in Kakinada, one each in Peddapuram, Amalapuram, Ambajipeta, Ramachandrapuram, Rajanagaram, Gollala Mamidada, Draksharama,Rangampeta and six plants in Rajamahendravaram.
Some water plant managements are selling Godavari or bore water in the guise of mineral waterin bottles, packets and in cans for the hapless people. In recent days, there has been a steady growth of fake water plants in the district. On the other hand, the Food Safety department or even respective local bodies are not taking any action against unauthorised water plants which are supplying the water in cans and bottles to people as the demand has been increasing during the summer season. The cost of 20 litres can is Rs 20 and cold water can come by for Rs 40 and water packet is sold for Rs 2. Though it is mandatory to print manufacturing and expiry date on the water bottle, these unauthorised water plants do not bother about these norms.
According to one estimate, an investment of 20 lakh is required to start a water plant with ISI certificates and Rs 5 lakh for water plant to start without any certificates. Because of this, many are establishing the water plants with less investment.
According to Food Safety department Assistant Controller B Srinivas, as many as 19 water plant units only have BIS certificates and 11 water samples were sent to Joint Collector for approval. The BIS certificate is mandatory for package and bottling units.
Necessary permissions from local bodies and from the departments of Revenue, Groundwater, Weights and Measures, Food Safety and Commercial Taxes are required to start a water plant. This means a lot of paper works and expenditure, that's what these unauthorised water plant owners do not want to expend. The question arise if people fall sick or their vital organs are damaged due to the contamination of the water who will take responsibility?