In the past couple of years, the State authorities had attempted stringent measures against sale of adulterated food and other items during the festive season only to elicit strong opposition from the business fraternity and apathy towards public interest.
Observers point out that, prominent leaders of the local business community are also members and even office bearers in both the national parties who differ on various issues but unite strongly against any attempt to conduct sample-tests of food items they are selling.
The traders who had protested on this issue in the past in Dehradun had said that sample testing hampers their business and even causes them financial losses.
They averred cooperation to the authorities after end of the festive season after the bulk of the adulterated food items have already been sold and even consumed.
An official on condition of anonymity said that adulterated dairy products are known to be transported from neighbouring Uttar Pradesh daily to Dehradun in the wee hours with even the delivery locations being known.
However, due to corruption and political involvement along with apathy towards such serious threats to public health, the departmental officials do little more than customary checks to observe formalities, said the official.