New Delhi: The committee enquiring into the issue of contaminated bottled drinking water is being given more time to complete its investigations.

"Term of the inquiry committee expired last week, but we have agreed to extend the term by around 10 days as Health Ministry wants to give additional inputs on the subject," consumer affairs secretary Wajahat Habibullah said.

He said a formal order is being issued for the extension to the committee headed by additional consumer affairs secretary Satwant Kaur Reddy.

The committee is recording evidence and submissions from a large number of people to get to the bottom of the controversy relating to pesticide contamination of packaged drinking water, he said.

The Reddy committee was constituted on February 4, 2003 by the Consumer Affairs Minister Sharad Yadav, when a non-governmental organisation (NGO) survey revealed pesticides residues in bottled water of all the leading brands, including Bisleri, PepsiCo (Aquafina) and Coca Cola (Kinley). It had been given three weeks to come up with its findings.

Due to pressing engagements of the panel members including those involved in Parliament related work, the committee's term had been extended by two weeks and has now been extended again.

PTI