People should not remain apathetic but act collectively against the continued and alarming adulteration in food products. The secretary of Society of Pollution and Environmental Conservation Scientists (SPECS) Dr Brij Mohan Sharma said this while delivering a guest lecture at a programme organised by the All India Consumers Council in Dehradun on Sunday.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Sharma exhorted the people to adopt the daily use of easy to use techniques in order to detect adulteration in food items. Unscrupulous businessmen were indulging in rampant adulteration of food products to make a quick buck encouraged by lack of public awareness and action against the growing menace of food adulteration.
Calling upon the people to utilise cheap and convenient measures to detect food adulteration, he pointed out that using a lactometer that costs about Rs 10, one can ascertain the quantity of fat content and deduce the quantity of water in milk. Pointing at another public health risk, Sharma expressed concern at the practice of artificially ripening of fruits which he said was a big challenge facing society.
He stressed on the need for a collective campaign in order to put a stop on the practice of artificial ripening of fruits in the region by businessmen.
Referring to activities undertaken by SPECS, he said that for many years now, the society has been undertaking sample surveys and lab tests of food items sold across the State especially during the festive periods.
All India Consumers Council Uttarakhand office bearers Amarjeet Singh Bhatia, Brig (retd) KG Behl and others were also present on the occasion