New Delhi: The sale of bottled water by manufacturers not having the certification of the Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) is illegal and unauthorised with the BIS having so far granted licenses to 1122 units across the country, Lok Sabha was informed today (Jul 12, 2004).

Government has already amended the pesticide residues for packaged drinking water with effect from January 2004, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister Sharad Pawar said during the Question Hour.

In a related question on sharing of Himalayan water, Minister for Water Resources P R Dasmunsi said no demand has been made to the Centre for convening an all-party meeting to discuss the issue.

On declining water levels in the past 10 years, he said that a large number of districts in 18 States and Union Territories had been affected, mostly in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Orissa and Tamil Nadu.

Four affected districts in Delhi were New Delhi, North-West Delhi, South and South-West Delhi.