Through a notification uploaded on 28 February 2018 the FSSAI has asked stakeholders for their suggestions, views, and comments on the draft notification related to standards for Drinking Water offered or sold through water vending machines. The FSSAI has also issued a notice in this regard calling for suggestions, views, and comments from WTO- SPS Committee members within a period of 60 days on this draft notification.
In the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 in regulation BEVERAGES, (Other than Dairy and Fruits & Vegetables based) (2.10) under the category Packaged Drinking Water (other than Mineral Water) the FSSAI has added the following clause.
“6. Drinking water offered or sold through water vending machines shall comply with clause 4 of this sub-regulation.”
Clause 4 states that “Packaged drinking water shall be clear without any sediments, suspended particles, and extraneous matter. Drinking water offered or sold through water vending machines shall also comply with the requirements given in Tables for all of the following parameters
- Microbiological requirement
- Organoleptic and physical parameters
- General parameters concerning substances undesirable in excessive amounts
- Parameters concerning the toxic substance
- Parameters concerning radio-active residues
- Parameters concerning pesticide residues
FSSAI has also drafted changes in the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011 which are as follows
In the regulation Prohibition and Restriction on sale of certain products (2.3), in the category “Restrictions relating to conditions for sale” (2.3.14) clause 17 which states that “no person shall manufacture, sell or exhibit for sale packaged drinking water except under the Bureau of Indian Standards Certification Mark” has been changed as provision of carrying the BIS marking does not apply to drinking water sold through vending machines. The previous clause will be replaced with the following
- “No person shall manufacture, sell or exhibit for sale packaged drinking water except under the Bureau of Indian Standards Certification Mark.
Provided that the requirement of Certification Mark of Bureau of Indian Standards shall not apply on the drinking water offered or sold through water vending machines.”
csn says
The term “Packaged drinking water” itself should be removed for direct vending product. Packaging is required for preserving and transporting – if vending machine is expected to cater in situ consumption or sales in buyers container – then the title should be modified.
Commitment of vendor to meet BIS requirement should also be established as part of licence display on vending machine or compulsory bill production on sale with clamier that meets BIS standard.
MRRR says
This amendment seems to be looking specifically at water vending machines that supply water in small SKUs.
Please note that there are many water purification plants that supply 20 liter drinking water, thereby doing an onerous job of providing such a service to communities where households avail of the facility at highly affordable rates. These plants have been set up by several private companies including trusts and other agencies. The potable drinking water rates are extremely less compared to rates levied by packaged drinking water players. Therefore all such instances should be brought under this clause rather than being restrictive (as it looks like right now).
Leaving the clause in the current form will lead to a lot of confusion at the ground level with FSOs creating lot of problem for such service providers. One solution is to treat all such units as vending units supplying drinking water under various SKUs.