12 water firms restart production after 'clean-up'

ANKARA - Anatolia News Agency

AA photo

Twelve firms which lost their licenses to produce water carboys were given permission to restart operations after improving their health standards today.
 
A total of 20 firms had been given orders by the Health Ministry to halt production after their carboy products were revealed to be in violation of health regulations. The ministry had also revealed the names of these firms "who risked people's health." 
 
Three of the 20 firms which had failed to remedy their shortcoming remained shuttered, while five more companies were waiting for the results of their analysis. 
 
The ministry also answered claims that it had mixed up samples from companies and fined the wrong firms while simultaneously white-washing certain companies that actually failed to meet the safety regulations. 
 
"The ministry acted on the first samples that were received from the companies," the statement said, adding that the health body decided to halt or allow production based on the results of that first sample. 
 
"After a decision was made [upon the results of the first sample], companies were given one week to remedy the problem. It was normal that health-compliant results were received after that one week [as some companies remedied their shortcomings], and production was allowed to resume,” it said.
 
The ministry said the situation was distorted by some media outlets to give the impression that the ministry had permitted the production of unhealthy water. 
 
"Firms revealed to be operating in violation of health regulations will continue to be closely monitored," the ministry said.