With rising temperatures come an increasing number of illegal and unhygienic bubble-top water cans.
What’s it about? For the past few weeks, residents have noticed that some bubble-top cans are damaged and have no brand names or ISI marks. In places like Mandaveli and Mypalore, these cans are sold on pavements for ₹20. Vendors say unlicensed cans are on the rise. Per the 2011 food safety regulations, packaged drinking water can’t be sold or exhibited without a BIS license.
- During the summer months, Chennai’s packaged drinking water demand is about 12 lakh cans a day. BIS-registered operators supply about 7 lakh of these. The rest is through illegal cans.
- Some suppliers sell water from illegal units to private tankers. Their quality can’t be assured since they don’t undergo BIS tests. BIS Chennai officials deal with quality checks and raid units with expired licenses.
Who said what? Dr M Jagadeesan from the Corporation said they only test water quality as the laws are with the food safety department. R Lalvena of the food safety department said that it was the job of the local bodies to act. E Saravanan of the Greater Tamil Nadu Packaged Drinking Water Association said the number of registered operators has reduced from 750 to 512.