Ram Rattan Sharma
Adulteration thrives in India, it is because traders want quick bucks. The unholy mexus between death merchants and corrupt officials has allowed this heinous crime. Now a days, we find false branded Ghee, adulterated petrol turmeric mixed with chromate powder, chilli powder mixed with red colour, dal with stone bits, dust tea garnished by saw dust, white powder in salt, milk with water, mustard oil with agremone are known examples of adulteration, even fruits, vegetables and cereals sold in market reportedly contain high level of toxic metals. A survey conducted recently by a private agency revealed that all the cold drinks, pepsy, coccocola, etc, are found adulterated with unhygienic substances, National dairy development corporation also conducted a survey which revealed that 90% of the edible oils available in the market contain highly intoxicated elements.
Food adulteration has become the order of the day and consumer education and awareness is the need of the hour. A common mistake committed by most consumers is to blindly pickup any product without reading the label which includes detailes like batch number, expiry date, manufactures name and address. Sometimes, it is duplicate product and can be mistaken for a reputed brand. The consumer has to keep his eyes open while buying a product. One must avoid informal transaction which deprive the consumer of a receipt of the purchases made. Adulteration like corruption has become rampant. Every citizen and the government knows the fact the spices, dal, milk, ghee, sugar, tea, which are sold in our rural areas are adulterated. We have laws against adulteration, like any other social legislation, it is rarely enforced. Adulteration has become a way of life, the food officials, society are awakened only when a tragedy takes place.
Adulteration of food is a very serious antisocial act as it poses a major health hazard. Lack of awareness among people and corrupt officials even the police is the reason. There is need to evolve better techniques to detect adulteration. A lot of research allocation is pending in this field to co-ordinate between various Govt. bodies scrutinizing the quality of food products and increase in awareness can go in long way in containing adulteration. Inspite of amendments to the prevention of food adulteration act, 1954, the level of adulteration in food products is increasing day by day. Loopholes in law have emboldened erring manufactures and lack of consumer awareness has made things worse. Most consumers are not brand conscious. They are ignorant about PFA standards and pickup cheaper products by compromising on quality and subsequently health too and those who took for lable details like the manufacturers name, expiry date and batch number, do not make an effort to lodge a complaint on finding sub-standard food products. Inspectors should honestly execute their duties and put the doers behind the bar with the help of police. The penalty for selling substandard products is a meager sum, which every trader can pay. Also the fact that one is rarely put behind bars for food adulteration is also a reason why people have no fear of law. There should be a law to canacel the certificate for selling anything in the market for a person , who is once caught in this crime. There is hardly any pure item in the Indian market. Adulterators spare nothing to make quick money. Reports have come to light that empty water bottles are being used to supply well known brand names of minerals waters. Every year thousands of people die after consuming spurious liquor. Every time when the tragedy takes place, some arrests are made and actions are initiated to correct the police there is no system to check or punish the known ignorance of such police or other officials. The police should also be taken to task when found guilty for ignoring such cases. They should be treated strictly. It is duty of the state to improve the food testing facilities. The inspectors, Drug Inspectors, Police Officials, Food Analyst should be taken to task and must be made accountable if any incidence of adulteration is found in their area of Jurisdiction. Unless they are held responsible, they will not be worried of the happenings and adulteration will thrive with more pace and speed. The health ministry must also make ISI or average mark certification mandatory for all edible items. Every citizen should be made aware that consuming any adulterated item may prove to be more dangerous than their imaginations. The indifferent attitude of general masses towards the hygienic values is also responsible for prevalence of such crime unless the common people are awakened of the hygienic values and protest against the spurious and adulterated items, the adulteration will not be checked as the law takes its own time. If we like to remain healthy, we shall have to act at our own and wherever and whenever availability of such items come to our notice, the matter must be brought to the notice of officials through news papers and letters. Unless we care for our health, nothing can be changed. A social awakening against adulteration can only check such a crime. The concerned officers in dealing with such cases should book the guilty and award a punishment of the nature as awarded to the murderer will only help to some extent to end up, the rigorous crime.
The author is Former Deputy Librarian University of Jammu)
feedbackexcelsior@gmail.com
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel