'Safeguard Public Health': Telangana High Court Directs State To Prevent Sale Of Uncertified Packaged Drinking Water

The Telangana High Court has directed the State and District Collectors to take effective steps to prevent manufacture and sale of uncertified packaged drinking water, after recording the Government's assurance that it would frame appropriate guidelines and strictly enforce the statutory provisions governing safe potable drinking water.Justice Suddala Chalapathi Rao observed that:"It is a matter of common knowledge that during every summer there would be an enormous demand for potable drinking water by the commuters as well as the public at large. Therefore, it is the bounden duty of the authorities concerned to ensure that only safe and certified drinking water is made available to the public...Recording the said submission, and the assurance given by the learned Special Government Pleader, the respondents shall take effective steps in accordance with law so as to safeguard public health and ensure that uncertified packaged drinking water is not sold to the general public. The District Collectors shall also ensure strict implementation of the statutory provisions and initiate appropriate action against persons found violating the same"The writ petition was filed by the Mahabubnagar District Packaged Drinking Water Manufacturers' Association alleging that several unauthorised units were manufacturing and selling packaged drinking water without obtaining the requisite ISI certification or establishing the necessary infrastructure. The Association contended that such uncertified drinking water posed a serious risk to public health and that despite repeated complaints, the authorities had failed to take action.On April 23 the High Court had directed the State Government to instruct all District Collectors and the concerned authorities to take appropriate measures to prevent the unauthorised sale of potable drinking water and sought a compliance report.When the matter was taken up again, the Special Government Pleader informed the Court that the Government had taken note of the issue and would frame appropriate guidelines for effective implementation of the statutory provisions regulating the manufacture and sale of safe packaged drinking water. The State also assured the Court that instructions would be issued to all District Collectors to ensure that only duly certified units were permitted to manufacture and sell packaged drinking water and that action would be taken against persons engaged in unauthorised manufacture and sale without the necessary certification.Recording the Government's assurance, the Court directed the respondents to take effective steps. The writ petition was accordingly disposed of.Case Title: Mahabubnagar District Packaged Drinking Water Manufacturers' Association v. Government of Andhra Pradesh & Ors.Case No.: W.P. No. 9106 of 2013Appearance: M.V. Raja Raam for the petitioner; Pottigari Sridhar Reddy, Special Government Pleader attached to the Office of the Advocate General, for Respondent Nos. 1 to 5 and 8; Putta Krishna Reddy, Standing Counsel for Municipality, for Respondent No. 6; and Shazia Parveen, Government Pleader for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development, for Respondent No. 7.Click Here To Read/Download Order

'Safeguard Public Health': Telangana High Court Directs State To Prevent Sale Of Uncertified Packaged Drinking Water

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'Safeguard Public Health': Telangana High Court Directs State To Prevent Sale Of Uncertified Packaged Drinking Water

Ananya Tangri

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