Revoke licenses and suspend bottled water production facilities that violate regulations.

(Baonghean) - Regarding the case of 21 bottled water production facilities with substandard products, the authorities are investigating the responsibilities of the relevant units and individuals. From there, appropriate and strict handling measures will be taken to build a healthy production and business environment, ensuring the health and rights of consumers.

Revoke licenses and suspend violating establishments

Immediately after the test results were available, based on Decree 80/2013/ND-CP of the Government regulating administrative sanctions for violations in the field of standards, measurement and quality of products and goods, the Department of Science and Technology Inspectorate imposed administrative sanctions on 21 establishments with substandard products with a total fine of 35.5 million VND, forcing the recall of all violating batches.

Mr. Nguyen Manh Ha, Chief Inspector of the Department of Science and Technology, said: Because the violations of these establishments are very serious, affecting the health of consumers, in addition to administrative sanctions, the Department of Science and Technology has proposed that the Provincial People's Committee direct the Department of Health to consider suspending operations for a period of time until these establishments take remedial measures.

For facilities using fake test results, the Department of Science and Technology recommends that the Provincial People's Committee direct the Department of Health to suspend operations, revoke licenses, and force facilities to conduct quality testing and re-declare conformity according to regulations.

The product labeling and packaging process at Hang Hieu facility is not in accordance with regulations.

Discussing the measures to handle these establishments, Mr. Dao Trong Dung, Head of the Food Safety Sub-Department (Department of Health) said: Upon receiving the inspection results, the sub-department asked for the Department of Health's direction to suspend the operations of establishments violating quality as well as establishments using fake test results. In the coming time, the sub-department will invite these 21 establishments to work to notify the handling direction, and at the same time request the establishments to immediately correct the violations.

“The Department will establish a team and conduct a comprehensive inspection of all facilities in the province. If any facility is found to be in violation, it will continue to be punished according to regulations. The Department will also require facilities to use fake test results to take water samples for testing at valid Vilas laboratories to have a basis for issuing a certificate of conformity before putting them on the market,” said Mr. Dung.

Need to clarify responsibilities

Obviously, the situation of substandard bottled water still being consumed in the market, using fake test results, is partly the responsibility of the Food Safety Department. This is the unit assigned by the State to guide, evaluate and issue certificates of conformity to food production and business establishments in the province. At the same time, it is responsible for inspecting and supervising the implementation of legal regulations on food safety and hygiene for production and business establishments.

It is known that every two years, the Department conducts inspections of the operations of bottled water production facilities. At the same time, according to regulations, every six months, these facilities must take samples for testing and submit them to the Department for inspection.

In response to the question, why, after many inspections, the department did not detect the above violations? Mr. Dao Trong Dung said: "Through inspections, the department discovered many establishments violating, but mainly in the production hygiene and labor safety stages. The department has drawn up records and imposed penalties according to regulations. Due to the large number of bottled water production establishments, distributed over a wide area, while the staff is small, it is not possible to inspect them all."

Water samples of Hai An Production and Trading Company Limited are sealed.

The Food Safety Department has directed the staff at the Inspection Department and the receiving and returning results department to make a report and write a self-criticism in professional activities. Accordingly, the staff at the Inspection Department pledged not to protect or take samples from these facilities for testing. "The staff who receive and return results did not know that the Vilas 236 room of the Department of Standards, Metrology and Quality had expired, so they still submitted the documents to the leaders for approval and issuance of a certificate of conformity. That was a shortcoming of the receiving and returning results department," Mr. Dung explained.

Mr. Dung further affirmed: “Regarding the procedure for issuing conformity certificates, the Department has done the right thing. As for whether or not the Department's staff arbitrarily took samples from these facilities for testing and "brokered" test results, we are waiting for the Department of Health's direction as well as the records provided by the inspection team to clarify. When there is sufficient evidence of violations, the Department will strictly handle them according to the provisions of the law."

Obviously, reviewing the responsibilities of the staff is necessary, but as a manager, Mr. Dao Trong Dung needs to properly recognize his responsibilities through the above incident. Furthermore, the Vilas form plays an important role in the procedures for issuing the certificate of conformity, so reviewing and checking the validity of the Vilas rooms is the responsibility of the branch.

The information that many bottled water production facilities in the province do not meet quality standards is causing anxiety and confusion among the people. Because for many families, bottled water is an indispensable product in daily life. People hope that the authorities will soon clarify and require drinking water production facilities to ensure quality before putting it on the market. At the same time, appropriate measures need to be taken against violating facilities and individuals.

This is also the common wish of consumers using bottled water. Therefore, the authorities need to quickly clarify the matter, strictly handle organizations and officials who violate the law, regain trust, and ensure the health and rights of the people.

Nghe An Newspaper will continue to inform readers of related content.

Pham Bang