SC gives 10-day to bottled water manufacturers to remove deficiencies

LAHORE: The Supreme Court on Tuesday gave 10 days time to bottled water manufacturers for removing their deficiencies.

The court also ordered to close a mineral water plant of Naubahar bottling company, a franchise of Pepsi limited.

The bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar passed the orders while hearing a suo motu notice regarding alleged exploitation of underground water resources without any charge and its fitness for human consumption.

At the outset of proceedings, owners and representatives of bottled water companies appeared before the court in response to being summoned.

The chief justice observed that reports had been received regarding procedures and quality of bottled water by the companies.

To which, Nestle's counsel Aitzaz Ahsan submitted that his client was ready to remove deficiencies mentioned in the report. He further submitted that arsenic and bacteria were removed from water extracted from the underground, in response to a court query regarding wastage of water resource in purification process.

However, EPA Director General Farzana Altaf submitted that arsenic was not found at every place but the companies did not had labs to ensure the water quality.

At this, the chief justice remarked why Nestle had not retained the quality of its bottled water in Pakistan. "We will not let Pakistan be treated like a third world country and we will not let discrimination take place," CJP asserted.

Salman Akram Raja on behalf of Pepsi submitted that his client had already started work on removal of deficiencies mentioned in the report.

Punjab Food Authority Director General Capt (Retd.) Muhammad Usman submitted that due to action of authority, more then 350 local water plants were shutdown. He further submitted the authority had sealed a plant of Naubahar, a franchise of Pepsi.

To which, Adnan Khan, director of Naubahar, intervened and adopted rude behaviour towards the director general.

The chief justice took a very strict notice of the situation and ordered immediate arrest of Adnan Khan. However, later, the orders were withdrawn after he sought apology.

A Law officer also submitted a report regarding pricing of bottled water by auditor general. It was informed that 500ml bottle cost about Rs 2.93 whereas 1.5 ltr bottle cost about Rs 8.79.

However, the court adjourning the further hearing till December 3 ordered the counsel of companies to sit with the commission comprising EPA Director General Farzana Altaf Shah along with Dr Mohammad Ahsan Siddiqui and others and remove deficiencies within ten days.