Mushrooming water plants turn health hazards

Parigi: Unauthorised water plants mushrooming in this Mandal centre are resorting to indiscriminate treatment processes like adding chemicals for achieving the desired taste, in the process reducing the total dissolved solids (TDS) content. The manufacturers are removing calcium, magnesium and iron from water. This is resulting in the consumers falling sick, as the required nutrients are found lacking.

As usual, the official machinery is looking the other way overlooking the illegalities of the manufacturers. Taking advantage of this, water manufacturers are adding chemicals exploiting the people’s craze for mineral water in both urban and rural areas.

The most damaging from health point of view is the mineral water supplied to houses in cans in autos. These cans are mostly unhygienic and supplied by illegal plants. The cans are rarely cleaned before filling. They pose health hazards as the tanks in which water is stored are dirty. As a result there is the danger of drinking water getting contaminated.

Normally water containing hydrogen and oxygen is considered distilled. It should contain solids that are required for the body in proper proportions for maintenance of good health. With the groundwater getting contaminated for various reasons, harmful substances like lead, mercury and fluorine are getting mixed with water. They need to be removed to make water fit for human consumption.

This is not being done by many traders running these water plants. If retained these substances are likely to cause bodily harm in the long run. While health experts are recommending the TDS level in water to range from 80 to 150 for maintenance of good health, people of this Mandal wonder whether this standard is being followed by the water plants.

Because of the intense competition among the traders running water plants no proper care is being taken to filter the groundwater being increasingly used to meet the supply. As a result, minerals are found lacking. For getting the desired taste these traders are adding chemicals.

Besides, these plants should confirm to ISI standards, having a modern lab, with a biochemist as a staffer. Water plants are permitted only if lab and biochemist are provided. These two are found lacking in most of the water plants in Parigi.

There have been no instances of officials concerned checking the plants to ascertain whether they are following the stipulated standards. Residents of the town, like Venkatesh, while speaking to The Hans India want officials, including food inspectors, to regularly conduct checks to prevent water plants from resorting to illegal practices.

Said Md Alam : “Water plants should compulsorily have laboratories to check water quality before being supplied. Officials should ensure that water contains the required nutrients, as otherwise there will be a threat to consumer’s life.

According to Alwala Prudviraj, there are many water plants in Parigi. These should be checked by officials and those being run illegally should be closed. He accused water traders of converting salt water for consumption to make money. To prevent people from getting affected officials should take immediate action to close unauthorised water plants, stressed Prudviraj.

By Md Vajid