Bhayandar: The trusted ISI mark on your 20-litre jar of the so-called ozonised mineral drinking water could be fake! Stung by complaints about the presence of illegal water purifying plants in the twin-city, officials from the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) have asked their counterparts in the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) to take necessary action against the racketeers.
Armed with photos and video graphic evidences about one such unit operating from a residential pocket of Mira Road, social activist Vasant Mane had registered complaints with the water supply department.
“The video submitted by me clearly shows that jars are cleaned, refilled with untreated water, manually affixed with fake seals, caps and thereafter put back in the market to be sold at around Rs 35 to as much as Rs 60 per 20-litre jar.
The water gang is playing with people’s health in a big way. Unfortunately, none of the enforcement agencies seem to be concerned towards such a sensitive issue,” said Mane.
“Based on the complaints, we have intimated FDA’s officials to take the necessary action,” said MBMC’s executive (water supply) engineer, Suresh Vakode.
“We are in receipt of a letter from the water supply department. We will investigate and take the necessary action soon,” assured assistant FDA commissioner (Thane), Digamber Bhogawde.
Most illegal units that have cropped up in Mira Road, Bhayandar and Uttan, fill the bottles with tap or even ground water and sell it as processed drinking water.
Since the demand for packaged water is so high, it hardly matters if the contents are certified or not, sources said.
