As people prepare to celebrate the festival of Holi, scientists have once again expressed alarm at the dominating presence of adulterated food items and colours across the State. As in the past years, this year too laboratory testing of food items and colour samples in 12 areas across the State by the Society of Pollution and Environmental Conservation Scientists (SPECS) ascertained considerable presence of adulteration in food samples while colours available in the market were found to be synthetic and containing various toxics.
SPECS secretary Dr Brij Mohan Sharma informed that the society had collected 62 samples of colours being sold in the market as ‘herbal’ or ‘natural’ colours. laboratory testing of these samples found toxic elements in 49 of the samples with mercury sulphite in red colour, copper sulphate in green colour, chromium iodide in purple colour, aluminium bromide in silver colour and lead oxide in black colour. Sharma said, “These colours are toxic and can cause a range of health problems including skin cancer, renal failure, learning disability, temporary blindness, bronchial asthma and allergies. Most of the colours in the market are metal oxides or industrial dyes. When washed off, these colours pollute vital soil and water systems,” he said.
Similarly, the society also collected 490 samples of varied food items from a dozen different locations in the State including the State capital Dehradun. laboratory tests ascertained the percentage of adulteration in samples at 92 per cent each in Rishikesh and Pithoragarh,90 per cent each in Haldwani and Almora, 89 per cent in Dehradun, 86 per cent each in Nainital and Haridwar, 85 per cent in Vikasnagar, 80 per cent each in Sahaspur, Doiwala and Rajpur, and 73 per cent in Mussoorie. Sharma said that most of the samples collected in this survey were from the markets with some samples also being collected from the homes of locals. Of the various food items tested, the percentage of adulterated samples was ascertained at 100 per cent in mustard oil, 94 per cent in tea leaves, 89 per cent in burfi/milk cake, 83 percent each in turmeric and coriander, 80 per cent each in red chilli powder and black pepper.
It should be mentioned here that for some years now, the presence of adulterated food items and colours in the market reaches alarming proportions especially during festive occasions like Holi and Deepawali. Observers point out that the State authorities have limited their action against rampant adulteration to inspection drives held for varying periods in the run up to major festivals. While the authorities also tout health benefits of Uttarakhand’s environmental wealth to attract tourists, the State has so far failed to resolve the threat posed to public health and the environment by continued sale of adulterated items.