21-07-2025
Fake mineral water floods shops in Wanaparthy
Wanaparthy: Fakemineral water is being sold openly and unchecked. The bottles, labelled with names of reputed brands, are being sold not only in wine shops and bars, but also in grocery stores and rural belt shops. Despite this, food safety officials are allegedly under the influence of bribes and have failed to stop the sale of adulterated drinking water.
People are expressing concern that unauthorised and unregulated mineral water plants are being set up across the district and other areas, running freely without any licences. The plants do not maintain any basic standards. It is alleged that instead of purifying water properly, they are simply taking water from the prestigious Ramanpadu Project (a major drinking water project under Mission Bhagiratha in Wanaparthy), filtering it minimally or not at all, and selling it at high prices as 'mineral water' without investing much in production.
In the initial days, under the guise of entrepreneurship, people began selling water in various forms, misleading the public. Fake labels mimicking well-known brands like Bisleri, Kinley, and Tata Water are being printed and stuck on cheap bottles bought at Rs 20 for 10 litres. These are then repackaged and sold for Rs 25 a litre. As per regulations, Food Safety Officers are required to inspect and test water samples every three months. However, they seem to be ignoring their responsibilities. No plant appears to follow ISI (Bureau of Indian Standards) norms.
Every household uses about 20 litres of drinking water daily. Due to lack of safe alternatives, people are forced to turn to so-called 'mineral water,' allowing this exploitation to grow. Loose water is being filled into one-litre bottles and sold at bus stands and railway stations for Rs 25 a bottle.
Despite promises by the former TRS government under the Mission Bhagiratha scheme to supply water through pipelines to every home in every village and mandal of the district, implementation remains poor. Though the Ramanpadu Project supplies drinking water daily, the water is often unfiltered and muddy, forcing people to avoid using it.
Citizens are urging the district collector to take immediate action against fake mineral water plants, counterfeit bottled water sales and inspect wine shops and grocery stores involved in this racket.
