LAHORE: The Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) sealed 222 bottled drinking water brands over multiple issues, including selling substandard water during last 18 months. According to a report issued by PSQCA Secretariat, as many as 753 bottled drinking water brands were identified in markets of the country and samples of many of the companies failed. The PSQCA sealed some 222 brands on the spot. On the directions of Federal Minister for Science and Technology Rana Tanveer Hussain, PSQCA formed a task force to eradicate these fake and illegal brands from the market, which started inspection in July 2017 and found a large number of brands were illegal, working without having Pakistan Standard (PS) Mark in the country. Receiving complaints, Tanveer Hussain had taken notice of the situation and directed the authority to start a grand operation to eradicate illegal and fake water companies in July 2016. During market surveillance activities, it was observed that 222 brands of bottled drinking water brands (out of 753) were being operated illegally/without PSQCA License in the country. All were seized as per provisions of PSQCA Act 1996 and Conformity Assessment Rules 2011. Later on, considering the commitment of units owner towards improvement and compliance to the norms of certification scheme of PSQCA, 146 brands were de-seized out of which 30 brands were awarded with PSQCA License after due verification of the pre-requisites and product quality in accordance with the relevant standard specifications. The remaining 85 are in the process of development of quality infrastructure, owners of 31 brands voluntarily declared to close their business as they were not able to meet norms of PSQCA and remaining 76 brands are still closed. As many as 77 licences of the different brands were cancelled and they were ordered to stop their production. At present 145 brands are in licensing process. A 85 brands were provided opportunity to get them aligned with PSQCA norms after de-seizure. A total of 26 cases were filed to challenge the PSQCA mandate. Out of them, seven cases have been decided in favour of PSQCA. The rest are pending. PSQCA Director General Engineering Khalid Siddiq said that as per PSQCA mandatory certification scheme, bottled drinking water plants were being inspected on quarterly basis to evaluate suitability and maintainability of their ability, quality control system to produce a quality product as per applicable standard along with periodic market surveillance to get open market samples for assessment of product quality to ensure that quality product is available to the consumer. He said that PSQCA issued licenses to the manufacturers after detailed assessment of production capabilities, quality management system, onsite testing facilities including raw material, semi-finished and finished product, availability of the competent technical manpower in order to manufacture and deliver standard quality product. Licenses are visited and their product quality is monitored through independent laboratories on periodic basis. “PSQCA is determined not to compromise on product quality, in this regard availability of technical and competent manpower and provision of complete equipment and facilities for evaluation and monitoring is ensured before issuance of conformity mark license. PSQCA provides opportunities to the manufacturers for establishing a good quality management system which is essential for production of a standard quality product,” he said. “Retailers and distributors being as key stakeholder play a significant role to eradicate substandard products from the market, considering the fact notices were issued to different retailers and distributors to remove PSQCA non licensed products from the shelves and sale only products that bearing PS logo,” he added. He said that a MoU has been signed between PSQCA and PCRWR in order to identify the units engaged in illegal manufacturing and sale of substandard and fake brands of bottled drinking water in the country. Under this MoU, a joint monitoring mechanism has been devised and designated teams are conducting market survey and draw samples from different regions of Pakistan which will be tested by PCRWR in order to ensure provision of safe and clean drinking water to the consumers at their door step. Published in Daily Times, January 15th 2018.