The Minister for
Human Resource Development and Science and Technology, Dr. Murli
Manohar Joshi has underlined the need for stringent measures
to check contamination of bottled water. Expressing concern
over the reports of pesticides in bottled water, in a letter
to the Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Dr. Joshi
pointed out that scientists and experts belonging to his Department
have found considerable merit in the findings of the Centre
for Science and Environment (CSE) and its conclusions. These
experts had studied in detail,the original report on the analysis
of pesticide residues in bottled water (Delhi Region) brought
out by the Pollution Monitoring Laboratory of the CSE.
In view of
this, Dr. Joshi suggested the Prime Minister, the need to have
more precisely defined and quantitative standards. The current
standards prescribed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)
for packaged drinking water and natural mineral water covered
under the relevant Prevention of Food and Adulteration Act are
obviously inadequate, he stressed. These standards simply say
that the pesticide residues should be below detectable limits,
when tested in accordance with the relevant methods. These standards
are only qualitative and not precise, he observed.
Dr. Joshi also
underscored the need for standard procedures to monitor the
quality as well as fixing responsibility at different levels
including packaging. In the interest of the consumer, correct,
accurate and quantitative labeling need to be evolved and mandated,
he averred.
Dr. Joshi said,
it was shocking to see that the content of pesticides were several
folds more than the stipulated level, even in case of popular
brands. This is a matter of serious concern, as it has great
implications on the health of the people, Dr. Joshi’s letter
notes.
