Rajya Sabha members cutting across party lines, including those from treasury benches, on Thursday asked the Government to make stringent laws to check the menace food adulteration that is leading to dangerous diseases like cancer.
During the Zero Hour, Naresh Agrawal (SP) raised the issue of growing menace of adulteration in food products including essential items such as milk, as also in fruits and vegetables. “It is a very serious issue. There are growing cases of liver and heart diseases as well as cancer and the reason for this is food adulteration. The current laws are not very strict to check this menace,” he added.
Agrawal said there are reports of plastic rice imported from China being mixed in rice and sold in the market as well as synthetic milk being sold in the national Capital.
Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien supported the issue saying that there was a rise in cancer cases and the reason for this adulteration in food items. “It is a very, very serious matter. Report it to the Minister concerned and come out with a legislation which has more teeth,” Kurien said.