BIS seized fake ISI marked product

A team of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), Nagpur branch conducted a raid in the premises of Shri Balaji Food & Beverages located at Plot No. 14-15, Khasra No. 92, Beside Baidhanath Farms, Mouza- Shankarpur in the district. During the raid, the firm was found engaged in misuse of BIS Certification mark popularly known as ISI Mark on the product “Packaged Drinking Water (PDW)”, which comes under the mandatory certification scheme of BIS.

The PDW manufacturer was found manufacturing 20 litre PET jars with BIS certification mark without having valid license to the said premises. Thirty five filled, packed and sealed pet jars of 20 liters, processed and marketed by Shri Balaji Food & Beverages were seized. Apart from this, 138 jars marketed by Sunshine Beverages and Yerne Agro Industries were also seized on the occasion. Sunshine Beverages is located at Plot No. 131, Vijayanand Society, Narendra Nagar , Nagpur while Yerne Agro Industries is at Survey No. 60/2, Mouza Jasapur, Tal. and Dist. Nagpur. Appropriate legal actions as per the provisions of BIS Act 2016 shall be initiated against the Shri Balaji Food & Beverages, Sunshine Beverages and Yerne Agro Industries, said the BIS officials.

The BIS officials appealed to the masses not to consume PDW jars with above indicated brands. It is suggested that consumers should ascertain the genuineness of the ISI marked products before purchase by visiting BIS website http://www.bis.org.in. BIS also appealed to general consumers to share information about misuse of ISI mark with BIS Nagpur branch office on phone Nos. 0712-2540807, 0712-2565171 or on e-mail: ngbo@bis.gov.in, hngbo@bis.gov.in Although, the scheme itself is voluntary in nature, the Government of India, on considerations of public health and safety, security, infrastructure requirements and mass consumption has enforced mandatory certification on various products through Orders issued from time to time under various Acts.

However, Packaging Drinking Water is under mandatory certification vide notification issued by Ministry of Health and Family welfare, Government of India, informs a press release. In order to ensure enhanced consumer safety and compliance to statutory provisions, some products like gas cylinders, regulators and valves, BIS certification scheme requires each lot or batch to be inspected by Bureau of Indian Standards certification officers before release of the product. BIS is keeping close vigil on fake products.