The Coimbatore Region Packaged Drinking Water Manufacturers’ Association, comprising members from Erode, Tiruppur, Nilgiris and Coimbatore, has urged the State Government to exempt the industry from Government Order 142, which bans exploitation of water resources.
The Association’s coordinator told mediapersons that 42 units in the district were supplying 60,000 water cans during rainy season and over one lakh water cans during summer to houses, commercial establishments and hospitals. Over 4,000 dealers and 10,000 door delivery persons were involved in the industry. But 33 units have been sealed by officials, affecting the supply of packaged drinking water cans to consumers, he said. Only after clearing 55 types of water tests and obtaining no objection certificates, units were bottling the water and marketing them.
“Since 33 units were sealed, unauthorised units have started supplying water”, he said and claimed that poor quality water was supplied through Corporation’s reverse osmosis plants in the city.
Mr. Ganesan said that the government order issued by the Public Works Department in 2014 was being implemented from 2017. The order states guidelines for issue of no objection certificate in safe, semi-critical, critical and over exploited blocks periodically.
“Water availability changes in the blocks and hence established units cannot be relocated according to it”, he said and sought exemption from the government order.
