The vigilance officials raided illegal water plants in Vizianagaram, Srikaulam and Parvatipuram districts on January 21 (Saturday). With a directive from Srikakulam Vigilance Department’s Regional Officer A. Suresh Babu, the teams inspected water plants at Dattirajeru, Cheepurupalli and other places in Vizianagaram district.
The teams comprising senior officials Satyanarayana, Appala Naidu, A.G. Suresh, Kavya Reddy and others found that many plants operating without the mandatory permissions from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, municipalities, panchayats and revenue officials.
The officials said that the companies were evading tax worth crores, apart from supplying water of inferior quality. Parvatipuram-Manyam District Food Safety Officer P.V.Ramana, in a press release, said that water samples collected from Sairam Portable Water Plant, MVR Industries and others had been sent to laboratory for testing. “The water plants will be seized if they are found to have violated the norms of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and other government agencies,” he said.
Viziangaram Packaged Drinking Water Manufacturers Association president Gudisa Balakrishna welcomed the raids by the vigilance officials.
“Illegal plants are playing with the lives of people by supplying contaminated water. The groundwater has to be purified in reverse-osmosis (RO) plants in accordance to the guidelines framed in accordance to the Food Safety and Standards Act-2006. Permission is also needed from Bureau of Indian Standards and every water bottle must carry BSI certification,” said Mr. Balakrishna.
