The Hindu : 'Experts confirm high level of pesticides in bottled water'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 10, 2003

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'Experts confirm high level of pesticides in bottled water'

By Gargi Parsai

NEW DELHI FEB. 9. Scientists and experts of the Department of Science and Technology have confirmed the findings of the Centre of Science and Environment about the high level of pesticides in bottled drinking water.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, the Minister for Science and Technology and Human Resource Development, Murli Manohar Joshi, said the experts had studied in detail the original report on the analysis of the pesticide residue in bottled water (Delhi region) brought out by the Pollution Monitoring Laboratory of the Centre and found considerable merit in their findings and conclusions.

Underscoring the need for stringent measures to check contamination of bottled water, Dr. Joshi suggested more precisely defined quantitative standards. "The current standards prescribed by the Bureau of Indian Standards for packaged drinking water and natural mineral covered under the relevant Prevention of Food and Adulteration Act are obviously inadequate.

These standards simply say that the pesticide residue should be below detectable limits, when tested in accordance with relevant methods.

These standards are only qualitative and not precise," he said.

Dr. Joshi also underscored the need for standard procedures to monitor the quality as well as fixing responsibility at different levels including packaging.

In the interest of consumers, correct accurate and quantitative labelling needed to be evolved and mandated.

He said it was shocking to see that the content of pesticides were several folds higher than the stipulated levels, even in the case of popular brands.

"This is a matter of serious concern, as it has great implications on the health of the people."

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