Hyderabad: Suppliers sell jars with unsafe water

Hyderabad: With no trust in tap water and to avoid diseases, most people prefer to buy trusted brands in jars, neatly packaged, sealed, and safe look. Or is it? especially during Covid-19 times.

Private mineral water suppliers in the City, often working in tandem, are raking in money by selling contaminated water in genuine company-stamped jars. Most of them have set up distribution units near ponds, where they have access to boreholes. Plastic containers are filled with contaminated water and then stamped and sealed.

This has been recently reported in some colonies in Miyapur and Chandanagar where some operators in the name of mineral water are filling bottles with contaminated water without meeting the minimum purifying standards.

Locals say that the operators are deceiving people in the name of clean drinking water. During lockdown people are reluctant to go out . They can't check the source, whether it is filtered or not? They just purchase it.

A resident of Aditya Colony in Chandrapur, Manish Kumar said: "most suppliers have boreholes around a pond. They set up a mineral water unit. They are charging exorbitant amounts for delivering water jars to doorsteps. Earlier a 20-litre jar was costing Rs 80; now it is being sold at Rs 150."

"They are making money by selling contaminated water to people, taking advantage of current situation when people can't go out," he added.

Many residents alleged that operators are supplying water to people without at least purifying it. It has become a common practice for most of them as people are increasingly preferring mineral water. Sunil Reddy of Miyapur, who has witnessed this says, "boreholes are being dug next to ponds and contaminated water is being pumped out for supply"

These operators are not following the minimum standards say, residents. There is no permission for water units set up in the Miyapur and Chandanagar areas. "This is cheating. I fell seriously ill. I paid for mineral water, but got untreated borewell and contaminated water. I had to be rushed to a hospital and treated for a week," said Ashok.

Despite several complaints to the concerned authorities, no action has been taken against such suppliers. These operators, without filtration, directly fill jars with contaminated water pumped out of ponds. There are about 12 water units in Miyapur and Chandanagar. There is no record of any inspection of these units that are being run without ICMR guidelines and standards.

Local residents alleged that water jars supplied are not properly cleaned, due to poor quality of equipment used in units. There is a risk of skin, eye and other ailments caused by fungus. They fear drinking such water could leads to chronic diseases.

A government certification is required before setting up a mineral water unit, but most operators don't have it. Officials are yet to find unlicensed and unauthorised units. Locals have demanded them to take action against suppliers for selling contaminated water. They have decided to lodge a police complaint against such suppliers "for openly filling jars with contaminated water and selling to people".

According to healthcare professionals, drinking such water causes ailments such as anemia, diarrhea, and viral hepatitis.