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Fix water quality in 7 days or face shutdown, CJP warns mineral water companies
Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar on Monday directed mineral water companies to pay the price of ground water and fix the quality of their water by next Monday, warning them that the companies would otherwise be shut down.
While hearing a case regarding the use of ground water by mineral water companies at the Supreme Court, the top judge said that the judicial commission's report was inconclusive, adding that mineral water companies should have mercy on consumers.
CJP Nisar asked the advocate generals of all four provinces to suggest how the issue could be fixed. "This fraud with citizens should be ended [...] We will not let the citizens' water and money be wasted." he asserted.
During the hearing, the three-member bench directed water companies to follow the recommendations of the judicial commission.
On November 20, the SC had directed a judicial commission to inspect companies that sell bottled water locally, and directed all such companies to rectify their errors within 10 days.
"They are taking water from Indus River and canals. They are cleaning the water and selling it," CJP Nisar said, remarking: "There should be a restriction on mineral water companies."
He told a mineral water company owner that until now, the company had been selling citizens poor quality drinking water.
"Do you not think about the country and citizens?" he asked, passing the observation that only Qarshi and Gourmet's water quality was acceptable.
The top judge directed the companies to the improve the quality of their water by Monday otherwise they would be shut down.
"People will not die thirsty ─ water from wells is of better quality than this," he said.
Environmental Protection Agency Director General Farzana Shah told the court that mineral water companies source their water from the ground and canals in Punjab, replacing the canal water with sewage.
The tainted water, she said, is then used by farmers to water their crops.
A lawyer for a mineral water company, Shahid Hamid, said that his client had adhered to all the quality standards.
CJP Nisar said that the court still had not registered a case against mineral water companies, although given the conduct of the companies, he said, it should be done.
He directed Hamid to provide monetary reimbursement for the water that had been withdrawn.
Justice Faisal Arab, a member of the apex court bench, said that nobody had more sources of water than Canada, and even there the water was not free.
"Here, they (mineral water companies) are taking water for free for industrial use," he observed.
Justice Nisar lashed out at the companies' lawyers, saying that they would "make this country into Ethiopia".
Hamid told him that he could impose a tax, to which CJP Nisar replied, "You are not paying the cost of the basic raw materials."
The DG EPA said that mineral water companies have certain disadvantages while presenting a water sample in the court.
Ahsan Siddiqui of the judicial commission said that bottled water companies, on a monthly basis, withdraw 7 billion litres of water in the aquifer and replace it with 0.5bn litres of dirty water.
CJP Nisar was of the opinion that people should stop consuming bottled water.
"They don't give one paisa," he said, adding: "If these companies give money, our dam will be made. We don't need anyone else."
Justice Nisar called for a meeting at 5pm today, asking all the advocate generals and companies' lawyers to attend.
Comments (22) Closed
Good decision but who will implement it.There are thousands of pending court's orders but the local administration have failed to implement them.CJ of SCP to address this issue and ask general public to report all non complied pending court's orders to SCP for instructions for immediate compliance.
it's being long to conclude this case, why? an only small percentage of Pakistan run on these bottles, most of the population lack clean drinking water facility.
Nestle talks about quality, but has been ripping off Pakistanis with bottled water.
thank you honorable CJ for taking suo moto. These people don't deserve even an iota of toleration. is there any check and balance in Pakistan.?
Its a scandal that the companies pay almost no tax. With a proper rate of tax, a dam can be built.
Very clear message to water companies from CJP - sort out water quality problems within seven days or face the consequences. You need people like CJP, who means business, and take actions in favour of ordinary people.
Great final warning given by the wonderful Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Islamic Republic of Pakistan in the name of better national health and water conservation for future generations to the crooked water companies, who are relentlessly busy since many decades to loot the helpless and hapless fertile land and 225 million hard working people of the "Land of the Pure" with both hands. Well done and keep it up.
Shouldn't he be bashing the government officials responsible for checking water quality and allowing illegal mining of water ? These officers should be held accountable first. Fixing the issues should be an approach. Shutting down the business will add up to unemployment.
Good decision close all mineral factories in Pakistan. CJ must order water board in pakistan tap clean water in every home within 7 days so no shortage of mineral water for people
These companies has squeezed and gluttonized the precious assets and earned exorbitant profit from fragile with poor quality of mineral water.
The whole world is involved in spurious mineral water scam. Better we must start using our own municipal water from taps after making it truly potable. Rules must be made for municipal corporations to do their job, as required by law.
People are drinking poison under the guise of “Mineral water” Welldone CJP
@Anti-Corruption_Pakistani, ordinary people in Pakistan accounts to 73% who have no access to bottled water. Bottled water is consumed by the people who are the only 27%.
a very positive and bold step. However why not ensure every citizen of Pakistan gets access to water first CJ sb?
If government can provide clean drinking water, these bottling companies will anyway close down. Court should be ordering PMIK and state governments. Why blame business who are at least providing relatively clean water for some people who can afford.
Many years ago another CJP ordered that the traffic congestion on Murree Road in Rawalpindi must be eliminated in 30 days. Today it is even worse. Technical issues require technical solutions.
The modern water dispensers in vogue now throughout the country have fittings suitable for the large size 19 litres bottles in them. Boiled water poured into these bottles could be used by every one easily. This would save colossal amounts spent over water purchases every day by the people and one can be sure about the quality of water he is to drink. The CJP will be doing a great favour to the nation by stopping this water bottling business totally. For the time being it could order for supplies of only chlorinated water through the water reservoirs of the country. This even if it means some costs involved would stop the water levels going down any further in the country by drawing of water by the bottlers from underground.
Honorable CJ, about time to protect our citizens. Past 30 years no politician or leader ever thought about others but only their families and themselves.
Government's Health and Food Departments have no laboratory equipment, School, Colleges, Universities have no laboratories, Medical stores are run by illeterate people, private medical laboratories, hospitals and clinics are run by non-qualified people, and CJ thinks that he can fix them all permanently just in a week or two.
Is shutdown a solution?
First the origin and source of water be asked from company. If it’s a subsoil water great care should be taken, as to how they are making it zero, and what minerals being added. Besides the plastic bottle be known it is food grade plastic or not, and how the bottled of 10L and 19L are resterilized before refillings. Almost same precaution in line water, but still that is safe. The CJP may fix the MRP for each packing. And ask water companies to built their own artificial lakes, and water reservoirs.
Why restaurants can't supply free clean drinking water instead of forcefully pushing expensive bottled water.
What's the use of drinking bottled water when food, dishes etc not washed and prepared with bottled water? Scam.