Food establishments routinely checked for water quality: FDA

‘Tanker water supply not under purview of FSSA’

Panaji: The directorate of Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), clarifying on the water tanker issue at Sancoale, said that the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 mandates checks on water quality of commercial food establishments/businesses and hence as a part of the pre-licence inspection the food safety officer verifies the water source/water analysis report/ water filter during the inspection; after which the licence is granted. Inspection and sampling are also done on a routine basis to verify the water source of commercial food establishments in their kitchen premises.

The primary issue raised in the complaint with regards to Sancoale incident is regarding the alleged supply of contaminated tanker water to commercial or domestic establishments. The trade of supply of water through tankers is not covered under the purview of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, however there are other laws enacted by the government to maintain checks on supply of water for public use.

Further as an abundant precaution and in view of the recent incident brought to the notice, the directorate shall carry out a robust inspection and sampling drive on commercial eateries to assess their water quality from April 26. Further, the PWD authorities from Sancoale area have also informed that they have hired one tanker which is used to supply water to water shortage areas as per the demand and that the media news is not related to their tanker.

Congress cautions over tanker water quality

Panaji: Stating that the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) is moving away from its responsibility of checking incidents of sewage being carried in water tankers, the Congress party on Tuesday appealed to the people to be vigilant and check water quality supplied through the tankers.

GPCC president Amit Patkar along with other members of the party earlier submitted a memorandum to the FDA director Jyoti Sardessai in this regard.

“Incidentally water tankers carrying sewage were caught red-handed by the people, however the FDA director is shying away from her responsibilities,” Patkar said.

“This exposes that the Bharatiya Janata Party government under the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and the Health Minister Vishwajit Rane is playing with the lives of the people,” he observed. “It is the responsibility of the FDA to check whether people are getting hygienic and clean potable water or not, and we appeal to the citizens to remain alert and check the quality of water supplied to them,” Patkar said.