The Bureau of Industrial Standards (BIS) has canceled the license of Bisleri's water bottling plant in Delhi which was catering to the Delhi and Gurgaon markets.
Ramesh Chauhan, the promoter of Bisleri Ltd, confirmed that the license has been cancelled. He said: "I met the minister for public distribution and consumer affairs, Shantha Kumar, today and the issue is expected to be sorted out soon since the secretary is coming back only on June 10."
The issue started in March this year when K M Sahni, director general of BIS, was travelling by Alliance Air and was offered Bisleri natural mineral water without an ISI mark.
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According to The Prevention of Food Adulteration Rules (6th amendment), 2000, no person can manufacture, sell or exhibit for sale packaged drinking water or mineral water without the certification mark from the BIS.
The notification, which was issued on September 29, 2000, came into effect from March 29, 2001. Also, according to the mandatory requirements, this water should be called packaged drinking water and not natural mineral water.
After this, Sahni brought this to the notice of the relevant authorities and a show cause notice was issued wherein the company was called to present an explanation. The government officials say that samples were taken from the factory and were analysed and only then the license was canceled. They, however, added that it was not a major issue and once the manufacturer upgrades the facilities, another round of sampling will take place and then the order could be rolled back.
Chauhan on his side says that it was because by mistake the old labels which were applicable till last year were printed on those bottles. He said there was no difference between the natural mineral water and packaged drinking water.
The plant produces 20,000 cases a day wherein every case comprises 12 bottles and it costs about Rs 100. He said the withdrawal of license would, however, have no impact on the company's operations in both Delhi and Gurgaon since the supplies would come from the other plants.