Vadodara: The next time you buy a bottle of packaged water or even a water pouch at the station, be sure that even the state Government is unaware of the existence of the manufacturing company or of its quality assurance. An RTI application filed by a city based environmental activist has left the ministry scurrying for answers.

Hundreds of gallons of groundwater flow to the surface in rivulets here each hour, helping to create this town's signature spring, a lush current typical of northern New England. Just uphill, a meadow stretches to the doorstep of Daniel Antonovich, a businessman with plans to bottle and sell about 250,000 gallons a day from the spring.

Ruchita Saxena / Mumbai July 30, 2008, 5:45 IST

The battle for bottled water business in the country is expected to intensify further with Coca-Cola, the world's largest soft drink-maker, pricing its latest offering BonAqua at par with its other water brand Kinley as part of its plan to retain customers within the fold.

Seminar focusses on technologies for processing drinking water

CHENNAI: At a seminar conducted on packaged drinking water here on Saturday, officials from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) underscored the need for adhering to good manufacturing practices.

The seminar, primarily meant for manufacturers, focussed on methods to deal with microbial contamination of water and technologies available for processing drinking water.

Press Trust of India / New Delhi July 23, 2008, 16:10 IST

Global soft drinks major Coca- Cola is going for a major re-branding of its packaged drinking water, Kinley to push sales on the 'purity' plank.

The re-branding exercise is aimed at increasing the company's share in the Rs 1,250-crore organised bottled water market in India.

"Our new campaign is intended to strengthen and re-affirm our bond with the customers. Kinley is a big brand for our company and we hope to keep on growing in the market," Coca-Cola India Marketing Director Avinash Pant said.

Ruchita Saxena / Mumbai July 23, 2008, 0:48 IST

Kingfisher, Bisleri seek to steal the thunder from Tatas.

Indian bottlers are waking up to the magic of Himalaya, with at least half a dozen companies, including Ramesh Chauhan's Bisleri, the UB Group and others scrambling to use the name in their bottled water.

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Pakistan, a non-governmental organisation, has highlighted serious flaws in the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report concerning the extension of a multinational bottled-water company's purification plant at Sheikhupura.

The company has requested the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) to let it extend its existing purification plant. It has submitted an EIA report to the EPA for approval in order to begin construction.

Diversification plan aimed at boosting its flagging profits.

Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL), the country's second largest oil marketing company, plans to diversify into bottled water and direct to home (DTH) services in an attempt to boost its profits.

The company reported a 91 per cent decline in its fourth quarter net profit as it was forced to sell fuel below the prevailing market price.

TIMES VIEW Keep off the business of faith Who said the government is insensitive to the needs of the public? Keeping in mind the religious sentiments of many Hindus, post offices in Ghaziabad have started to sell bottled Ganga water. They will earn a commission on each bottle sold. A private company and Garhwal Vikas Mandal, a government body, are responsible for procurement and packaging of the water sourced from Gaumukh in the Himalayas.