KATHMANDU, Sept 10: Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has initiated a strict monitoring campaign to ensure the quality of drinking water, milk and oil consumed by the consumers.

The Department of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry of the KMC has started an effective monitoring campaign to maintain the purity and quality of water, milk and oil, keeping in mind the health of consumers.

The department’s chief senior veterinarian Dr Awadesh Jha said that a strict monitoring campaign has been started to create an environment for consumers to use clean and healthy water. According to him, the metropolis has been regularly monitoring the drinking water since August 18. Water will be monitored throughout September and milk along with water and oil will be monitored in the second phase between September and October. Department chief Jha said that the monitoring campaign will be conducted throughout the current fiscal year.

During the campaign, a company distributing bottled water in the valley was found using damaged and broken containers to transport water, resulting in the confiscation and disposal of such containers.

At present, monitoring is being done at Godavari, Pepsicola, Chabahil and other points from where water enters the metropolis. Monitoring has been tightened in accordance with the Directives on Production of Processed Drinking Water 2074 BS.

The directives clearly mention that water cannot be transported in jars that are crushed and stained. If such jars are found during monitoring, they will be confiscated as per the law. The water jars confiscated by the authorities have been taken to the laboratory for tests.

Dr Jha has said that KMC is conducting on-site monitoring of various water production organizations to ensure the distribution of clean water as part of their campaign.

The department has also called officials of the Nepal Water Bottle Industries Association and alerted them. "Whoever is the producer should distribute it, if one is not a producer and has entrusted it to others, then there should be a paper agreement between both organizations and related documents should be carried in the vehicle carrying the jar water," Dr Jha said.

He mentioned that now only jar water is being monitored and bottled water will also be monitored in the near future. Currently, more than 180 water producing companies are supplying water within Kathmandu metropolis, with only four companies operating in Kathmandu.

During the monitoring, the seized water jars are sent to Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL) for testing. Based on the report of lab tests, the KMC said it will take action against the companies supplying sub-standard water according to the Metropolis Market Management Act, 2075 BS. 

The metropolis plans to regulate and manage the distribution of milk after water. The department has mentioned that the milk businessmen who are currently selling and distributing milk openly will be taken to the registration process and will be alerted for sale and distribution only after meeting the standards. KMC has warned that action will be taken if the quality is not maintained.

 
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