'Illegal drinking water packaging units to be banned'

Appropriate measures will be initiated to ban illegal drinking water packaging units, said Kodagu district Additional Deputy Commissioner P Shivaraju.

Chairing the district food safety and standard committee meeting at the DC’s office hall in Madikeri recently, he said it has come to the notice of the district administration that several drinking water packaging units have been operating in the district illegally.

Running such units without ISI and FSSAI permits amounts to an offence. An inspection will be carried out in this regard, he said.

Meanwhile, he directed the officials of City Municipal Council, health department and district food safety officials to implement strict action against the hotels and other places where food is being prepared under unhygienic conditions.

“The meat shops should also maintain cleanliness. The fair price shop owners must ensure the quality of grains being supplied to them. Also, quality food must be provided to children in anganwadis,” he added.

Quality tests

Additional Deputy Commissioner P Shivaraju directed the DHO to test the water at public drinking water units, for quality.

“It should be made sure that the water at the public units is fit for drinking,” he said.

The ADC felt the need to test the water being provided at schools, hostels and marriage halls.

“Preventive measures should be taken for the control of vector-borne diseases in the district,” he said.

The district health and family welfare officer said that there are 356 drinking water sources in the district and during lab tests, the water drawn from these sources has been found to be fit for consumption. Water available in 17 borewells in the district has been found unsafe for consumption and such borewells have been forbidden for use.

District Health and Family Welfare Officer Dr K Mohan, Food and Civil Supplies Department Deputy Director Gaurav Shetty and Women and Child Welfare Department Deputy Director Arundhati were present in the meeting.