THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Thelineer, the Kerala Water Authority’s (KWA) much-awaited bottled water, is likely to hit the market in August. KWA officials said they are awaiting certification from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for commissioning the plant set up at Aruvikkara in Thiruvananthapuram.
They expect to receive the approvals in the next two months. The project was originally conceived in 2007. “We are in the final phase of setting up the distribution channels. We are awaiting BIS’ approval to begin the commercial production. They had collected the samples of the bottle and water on May 22. After getting the BIS nod, we will apply for FSSAI licence,” said a KWA officer.
Though the price is yet to be fixed, it is expected to be lower than the existing market price. The bottled water will be offered in 500ml, 1litre and 2-litre bottles, and 20-litre cans. Earlier, in his response to a specific query, Water Resources Minister K Krishnankutty told the Assembly that the project is a not-for-profit initiative and added that it will facilitate state’s market intervention. “The final price is yet to be fixed. We will decide it after receiving licences from BIS and FSSAI,” the minister said.
According to the data presented in the Assembly, once commissioned, the plant will have a capacity of 1,81,028 litres per day. It is expected to produce 1.15 lakh one-litre bottles per day, 16,456 500ml bottles, 1,600 two-litre bottles and 2,720 20-litre jars. So far, the state has spent Rs 13.83 crore on the project.