NEW
DELHI: The Consumer Affairs Ministry has asked the Bureau of Indian
Standards (BIS) to constitute a committee of experts to specify the
test methods to be followed by laboratories while testing bottled and
packaged drinking water under the proposed revised quality standards.
The
direction, official sources said, has been given in line with the recommendation
of the Reddy Inquiry Committee which has stated, "when BIS establishes
a standard, it must specify the corresponding test methods.”
In
the proposed amended standards (Amendment No. 4 of February 2003), it
has been stated that "the analysis shall be conducted by using
internationally established test methods meeting the residue limits
specified".
The
Reddy Committee report said this is vague and has left the choice of
method to laboratories, which will lead to confusion, as it will not
permit comparison between the results of different laboratories.
It
said BIS should constitute a committee of experts from leading research
institutions engaged in evaluation of water quality for a review of
standards specified for natural mineral water (IS:13428) and packaged
drinking water (IS:14543) in order to specify the test methods to be
followed by the testing laboratories.
The
institutes recommended are Central Pollution Control Board, National
Institute of Nutrition, Central Food Technology Research Institute,
Central Food Laboratories, Indian Toxicological Research Centre, Indian
Institutes of Technology and National Environmental Engineering Research
Institute.
PTI
[ SUNDAY, MARCH
30, 2003 04:15:56 PM ]
