While the blame game continues between the Bureau of Indian Standards and the Ministry of Health over who is responsible for a delay in notifying standards for packaged water, another popular step has been announced.The BIS has decided to authorise NGOs of repute to lift samples of ISI-marked products and get them tested in BIS laboratories at their own cost.The decision is a fall-out of recent findings by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), an NGO, exposing the presence of excess pesticide in ISI-marked products. Tests had revealed that even top brands of bottled mineral water sold in the country contained pesticide residues higher than the norms laid down by EU nations. The public hue and cry that followed the exposure led the Ministry of Consumer affairs to forward a set of norms to Ministry of Health for notification. That process is yet to achieve any fruition as the Ministry claims that it has to wait for a certain time before it can amend the PFA Act to incorporate these stringent standards.Today, in the 18th meeting of the BIS, a close association with the NGOs was envisaged. ‘‘BIS will take cognisance of the test report and would withdraw the ISI mark certification if the products are found wanting in any respect,’’ said Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Minister Sharad Yadav.To make the testing transparent and credible in the eye of the public, the testing laboratories will be insulated against the influence of manufacturers. For that purpose, the sample drawn and sealed by a BIS official will not be sent to the laboratories through the official route. They would be handed to local reputed courier agencies for transporting them to the labs.‘‘The NGOs and related government agencies with required technical background would be associated during surveillance/inspections of food items under mandatory specifications,’’ he said. He added the NGOs would be involved in the ‘‘standard formulation activities and their representatives participating in such exercise would be reimbursed TA and DA.’’
