The Hindu 07.09.2010
Steps on to enforce ban on water sachets in Ambur
Serena Josephine. M
| Municipality conducts surprise checks on three stockists |
Some manufacturers selling water packets with ISI seal on them, says official
Checks also being conducted at hotels to ensure hygiene and quality of food
AMBUR: The Ambur Municipality is taking steps to effectively enforce the ban on sale of drinking water packets in its limits. Last week, officials of the local body conducted surprise checks on three agencies which stocked drinking water sachets and has lifted samples for testing from one agency.
“The ban on water sachets has been in place for sometime now. We had also announced that water sachets should not be sold in the municipal limits. We received a letter from the government last week instructing us to inspect the manufacturing units of water packets and lift samples for testing,” an official of the municipality said.
He pointed out that only sale of packaged drinking water in cans is approved and not sachets.
However, some manufacturers sell the water packets with the ISI seal on them.
“There is no manufacturing unit here. Three stockists for the water sachets were found in the municipal limits and surprise checks were carried out at the agencies last week,” he said.
The officials lifted samples from one agency, while the other two said they would return the sachets and promised to stop buying stocks in future, he added.
To ensure safety of food supplied in hotels and other eateries, the municipality is conducting surprise checks at food establishments.
“There are a total of 486 food establishments in our limits. This includes tea shops, hotels and petty shops selling food. We started to conduct the inspections last week. Three hotels have been checked and a sample has been lifted from one hotel. It has been sent to the public health laboratory at Thanjavur. If found adulterated, further step on the hotel will be decided,” he said.
Checks will continue
These checks at hotels will continue, he added.
The municipality has advised the food establishments not to use non-permitted food colours for non-vegetarian recipes. It has asked hotels to supply hot water to customers and not to re-use oil, the official said.
“We check for hygiene in the cooking place at these establishments. It should be well white-washed and contain good vessels for cooking. More importantly, we have insisted that the food handlers at these establishments should get medical certificates from doctors. These certificates should be produced during inspections,” he said.
The local body was also planning to impose a ban on use of plastics soon, officials said.
