Those planning to buy colours and food items from the market to celebrate the festival of Holi in Dehradun are likely to face various health risks by using these products. Of the samples of colours and food items tested in Dehradun by the Society of Pollution and Environment Conservation Scientists (SPECS) 100 per cent of the colour samples were found to be adulterated with toxic chemicals and 93 per cent of the food samples were found adulterated.
According to SPECS secretary Dr Brij Mohan Sharma, 78 colour samples were collected from Dhamawala, Paltan Bazaar, Hanuman Chowk, Moti Bazaar, Karanpur, Dakra, Kanwali Road, Patelnagar, Majra, Panditwari, Premnagar, Sahastradhara Road, Raipur, Jakhan, Rajpur, Krishannagar in Dehradun apart from Doiwala and Vikasnagar.
Sharma said, “After testing the samples in our laboratory we found mercury sulphite in red colour, copper sulphate in green colour, chromium iodide in purple colour, aluminum bromide in silver colour and lead oxide in black color.
These colors are toxic and can cause skin cancer, eye allergy, temporary blindness, bronchial asthma, allergies, renal failure and learning disability. All the 78 colour samples were found to be toxic. Most colors sold in the market are metal oxides or industrial dyes. When washed, these colors can also pollute soil and water systems,” he said.
SPECS also collected 189 samples of milk, mewa, turmeric, red-chilly powder, mustard oil, refined oil and other food items from Dhamawala, Paltan Bazaar, Hanuman Chowk, Moti Bazaar, Karanpur, Dakra and the other localities from where the samples of colours were collected. Out of 189 samples 176 samples were found adulterated which amounts to 93 per cent adulteration in the market.
Sharma informed that 22 out of 25 milk samples were found adulterated with vanaspati ghee, refined oil, rice flour, starch, boric acid, soda, urea, dirty water, formaldehyde and sodium bi carbonate. Similarly, 15 out of 17 mewa samples, 13 out of 15 paneer samples, 18 out of 18 barfi samples, 21 out of 22 mustard oil samples, 10 out of 10 turmeric samples and eight out of 10 tea samples were found to be adulterated with various harmful chemicals and other substances.