If things pan out, Thelineer, the Kerala Water Authority’s (KWA) own packaged drinking water, will hit the market by March end.
Water Resources Minister K. Krishnankutty toured the bottled-water plant at Aruvikkara on Wednesday accompanied by top officials of the Water Resources Department and KWA. The automated plant has a capacity of 7,200 litres an hour. According to the Minister, the infrastructure is ready and once the mandatory licences are obtained, the plant can be commissioned.
KWA managing director A. Kowsigan said that clearances from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) were expected soon. ‘‘An inspection by the BIS is over. It has sought certain clarifications, which we have provided. The FSSAI certification will follow within two days of the BIS nod,’’ Mr. Kowsigan said.
Mr. Krishnankutty said a decision on Thelineer’s price is yet to be taken. ‘‘The price will be affordable to the public,’’ he said. At present, the KWA plans to deploy its own technically competent staff to run the plant. Thelineer will come in 500 ml, one litre and two litre bottles and 15 litre canisters.
Thelineer will be made available in government offices across the State and through small-scale traders and Kudumbashree units. Envisaged 12 years ago, the project won administrative sanction in 2013. After delays hit the project, it was retendered in 2015. Trials were conducted at the plant in February this year.
