High-fluoride Bisleri Water Brand Banned for a Month in State

* Are other packaged drinking water brands safe?

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Commissionerate of Food Safety under the Assam Government has prohibited the manufacture, storage, distribution and sale of Bisleri, a brand packed drinking water due to high fluoride contamination.

An official notification issued by Commissioner of Food Safety, Assam Dr Chandrima Baruah, stated that the sample of packaged drinking water (Bisleri brand) is unsafe in terms of the provisions of the Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006. Prohibition on manufacture and sale of Bisleri packaged drinking water will continue for the next 30 days.

Even though the ban on Bisleri packaged drinking water has been welcomed, many city residents have raised serious concern whether other brands of packaged drinking water are safe for health.

“The market is flooded with many packaged drinking water brands. Have the State Health department any quality control mechanism ensured that all other such brands (excluding Bisleri) safe for drinking? The Commissionerate of Food Safety, Assam imposes a prohibition on certain brands at certain intervals. After such prohibition, the Commissionerate does not take any follow-up and corrective steps,” Anowar Hussain, a resident of Uzan Bazar said.

Arup Dutta, another city resident, said the source of such water has to be detected. “These bottles are being sold as mineral water. Are they really mineral water? There are reports that some companies just fill up bottles with water from any source and distribute them in markets. It is really a health hazard,” Dutta said.

Also Read: Food Safety Department of Assam bans packaged drinking water ‘Bisleri’ in State

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