FDA to run drive to check water used by Goa eateries

PANAJI: Following the Congress' complaint about the quality of tanker water supplied in the state, Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), on Tuesday declared that it would conduct inspection and a drive to take samples of water from eateries and other commercial establishments from Wednesday.
The FDA however, clarified that the trade of supply of water through tankers is not covered under the purview of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006. There are other laws in place to maintain checks on supply of water for public use, it said.
Taking up the Sancoale incident reported on Saturday, police seized two water tankers after alert citizens complained that the same tankers were allegedly used for transporting sewerage.
The Congress, in its complaint, stated that the Sancoale incident has raised doubts about the quality of water supplied by the tanker water providers. With several parts facing acute water shortages since last month, people are forced to rely on tanker water supply, it said.
The Congress suspects that Sancoale's was not an isolated incident, and such blatant violations may also be taking place elsewhere.
“It is the responsibility of FDA to see that commercial food establishments maintain hygiene,” the Congress said, demanding immediate action.