Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 20: Beware Jammuites! If you think you are consuming safe drinking water in packaged bottles and glasses under the brand name of ‘Fit & Fine’, you are very badly mistaken.
A raid conducted by the Drugs and Food Control Organization (DFCO) in the factory being run under the name and style of M/s Modern Beverages at Muralian, Bishnah, has revealed that water in the bottles was being packed from mould filled pipes in violation of all safety norms and the treatment plant was running in shabby conditions.
The DFCO staff has sealed the factory, which was owned by Davinder Daluja brother of Raj Kumar Daluja (owner of State Times English newspaper) and resident of South Extension, Trikuta Nagar.
Along with Modern beverages, the DFCO staff has sealed another factory being run by Raj Daluja in partnership with his nephew Gautam Daluja son of Davinder Daluja, named M/s Aleo International at Sikandarpur. The factory was being run without renewal of license.
An official order issued by the DFCO bearing No. FSSA/DO/J/591-96 dated 20/11/2015 today ordered suspension of food license of M/s Modern Beverages having Food License No. 11012130000203 and sealed the factory in which packaged drinking water and carbonated water under the brand name of ‘Fit & Fine’ was being filled in violation of all purity norms in filthy and unhygienic conditions, which was extremely dangerous for human consumption.
The discrepancies pointed out by the DFCO team, which raided Modern Beverages, said: “at the time of inspection the bottle of ‘Fit & Fine’ were being filled up and capped manually by the employees without bearing head gear, gloves and mouth cap etc.
“There were leakages in the processing line and even mould at the joint was apparent. The entire treatment plant was in very shabby condition,’’ the DFCO report said and pointed out that the date of packing mentioned on the drinking water bottles was November 13 i.e. the date earlier than the actual date of packing the water, which was against the mandate of Food Law.
The factory hadn’t maintained proper recorded including life of UV lamp, change of filter, batch wise testing report of the finished product. One being asked by the raiding team, the staff couldn’t provide these details.
“The roof of the processing unit was made up of false ceiling with plywood and clothes were seen lying in the processions unit,’’ the official order said.
It added that in view of the extreme unhealthy and unhygienic conditions prevailing in the factory manufacturing ‘Fit & Fine’ packaged drinking water and carbonated water, the DFCO immediately suspended licenses of Modern Beverages and sealed it.
The DFCO staff, which raided the factory comprised Ajit Singh, Assistant Commissioner, Food Safety (Designated Court), District Jammu, Nazir Ahmad Wani, Controller Drugs and Foods, J&K, Khursheed Ahmad Wani, Assistant Commissioner Food Safety (Headquarters), Sanjeev Kumar, Assistant Controller Food and Manzoor Ahmad, Food Safety Officers.
The DFCO teams also conducted raids at M/s Aloe International, Sher Gallian, Sikandarpur, Jammu, which was supposed to be manufacturing Aloe Vera Juice and Gel.
The firm was owned by Raj Kumar Daluja and his nephew Gautam Daluja son of Davinder Daluja.
Surprisingly, the DFCO team found that license issued in favour of M/s Aloe International had expired on January 22, 2015.
The DFCO teams also found several other discrepancies in the factory and ordered suspension of the license and closure of the factory, which was sealed immediately. The DFCO has initiated the process for cancellation of the license.
The DFCO team pointed out that Harbans Lal Sawhney (manufacturing chemist) and Ajay Kumar Gupta (analytical chemist), who were responsible for carrying out manufacturing operations in Aloe International had been removed way back in September 2014.
“The license had neither been displayed at the factory nor was produced at the time of inspection. On enquiry, the staff couldn’t give any valid reason for not displaying the license,’’ the DFCO order said.
It pointed out that Aloe International had outsourced certain activities from an adjacent unit namely Modern Beverages, owned by the same person, to carry out certain critical in house protocols (micro testing, water testing etc). The raw material washing section was exposed to open environment and required proper segregation, it added.
The authorities immediately closed the unit for violating almost all the norms required for manufacturing Aloe Vera Juice and Gel.
The DFCO team, which conducted the inspection of M/s Aloe International included Surinder M Tickoo, Assistant Controller Drugs, Jammu, Tariq Masroor, Drugs Inspector Headquarters and Sanjay Bhat, Drugs Inspector (Manufacturing) Jammu.
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