The Food Safety and Drug Administration Department inspected 57 packaged drinking water units across Karnataka on Friday, the second day of its special drive, and shut down 12 units for serious violations, officials said.
The department also collected 37 samples of packaged drinking water and sent them to government food laboratories for analysis to assess their quality and compliance with food safety standards, they said.
The special inspection drive was undertaken on the directions of Health and Family Welfare Minister U T Khader, officials said.
According to a statement issued by the department, during the inspections, officials found several violations, including unhygienic conditions, food handlers not possessing mandatory medical certificates and absence of pest control certificates.
Notices were issued to 29 packaged drinking water units/food business operators, and further legal action will be initiated under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and relevant rules, it said.
Among the units inspected, two in Hassan and Bengaluru Urban districts each were closed over unhygienic conditions or lack of mandatory FSSAI licences.
Two units in Kalaburagi district were also closed, one for non-cooperation with the inspection and another for unhygienic conditions and lack of a mandatory licence.
Units in Bidar and Mysuru Rural districts were closed over unhygienic conditions and lack of mandatory licences, respectively, it said.
Meanwhile, officials seized 82 cartons of one-litre packaged drinking water bottles, valued at Rs 7,380, from a unit in Vijayapura, Devanahalli taluk, Bengaluru Rural district, over labelling violations, the statement added.
(With inputs from PTI)
