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+--- Thread: FOOD ADULTERATION, FROM AN ANGLE NEVER TOUCHED FOR (/thread-food-adulteration-from-an-angle-never-touched-for)
FOOD ADULTERATION, FROM AN ANGLE NEVER TOUCHED FOR - javed - 07-19-2006
Food adulteration/contamination is a common problem in our society resulting in serious but underestimated health hazards. A recent report is alarming where 44% of food samples from school canteens were found containing non-food grade colouring additives and more than one third of water samples contaminated. Similarly food adulteration around 50% was reported early by Lahore City Government with unwanted chemical treatment for some popular food commodities just to give better appearance and increase weight of the commodities.
Much concerns from citizens and intellectuals have during the last one year been shown on food adulteration but one angle of it has almost remained untouched. At least I have not seen even a word from any quarter during the last 15 years on that angle.
The most interesting is that no, NGO the so called protectors of citizens rights, no so called Human Rights activist like Asma Jehangir, no M.D Tahir who on cutting ear of a horse takes the matter to the court, no columnist like Mazdak has ever cried over this subject. I have never believed on these so called mush room growing NGOs who do not leave any opportunity to start a campaign but where it gives glamour to it but not at the cost of any weakening of their increasing personal relations with higher authorities. Take just for one example. People are crying that electricity meters today are installed outside their premises, these meters are reporting high consumption (running fast), have been purchased by the electricity company itself, have been installed under naked weather conditions causing burning out in rain even then in case of mal functioning, burning out the consumer is to bear the cost and no NGO has ever spoken single a word on this injustice. In 1960s Hotel Intercontinental was the most expensive and biggest hotel in Karachi. Late Hakeem Saeed every year used to call writers, big guns on a yearly âSham-e-Hamdardâ in this hotel to shed some tear for the education of poor children. All of these attendees shed their tears eating high cost luxurious dinner. There was then a very popular Jang columnist who once in his column stated that compared to Hakeem Saeed holding annual worthless ritual of Sham-e-Hamdard, Hameed âBadmashâ {I am now old and it is now about 40 years hence I do not remember the exact word but it was something like Badmash] is hundred time better who actually practically provided free education to thousands deserving. Hameed was the Principal of Islamia College Karachi, the biggest college of that time. He was a little tough man but had a real kind heart for the poor needy. He condoned fees of hundreds and hundreds, provided admission to people coming from East Pakistan even at late stage of academic year, arranging University registration etc.
What I am narrating here is totally based on my 10-12 years old hence errors in sequence or in my expression are expected but facts are the same as this piece implies.
10-1 eyars back an auction notice appeared from Customs Department announcing auction of many items one of which was âfood chemicalâ. As a conscientious citizen I took up the matter that has the Customs got the âfood chemicalâ being auctioned tested from Laboratories if it was âstillâ valid for human consumption. An analysis report was presented showing that âApple Sidraâ was tested and is fit for human consumption. The date of Analysis Report was showing the item was got tested after my raising the issue and not as a routine before putting on auction. I argued that the analysis report quote some âapple sidraâ having been tested whereas the auction notice contained âfood chemicalâ. My question was is it a standard routine of testing each and every item before auctioning or it has only been done in this case on my raising eye brows on this particular âchemicalâ. The Customs Department on this submitted some very discouraging personal type of remarks. At the same time I also found the investigation officer being himself a senior bureaucrat was taking up the matter through his bureaucratic eye glasses and lacked the public spirit. Hence I withdrew my case from further follow up.
My argument is that banks, insurance companies, airlines, railways, customs, ports, coast guards all these put their confiscated goods for auction. It is a well known fact that warehousing facilities with our these organizations are inadequate and all such confiscated goods do not necessarily remain housed in conditions prescribed for such items. I am using an eye drop since for the last 2 years. I am told that this is to remain in refrigerator. I purchase it from the market, pharmacy of course keeps it refrigerated. I buy it, put it in my pocket or in a hand bag, do my other shopping in the market, traveling by bus then I reach home in 2-3 hours and put the drop in my refrigerator. Recently an eye specialist told me that my eye was not curing because of poor quality of my eye drop. He advised me to take an ice box with me, from pharmacy take the eye drop, put the bottle in it and immediately bring it home in that condition otherwise just in 5 minutes away from refrigeration its true effectiveness will decrease.
Almost all confiscated items like food chemicals, food tin products, medicines, medicinal substances/materials for used in food remain under the sun/rain or under hot tined sheds facing rough conditions.
Secondly, these confiscated items remain for years with such departments like banks, ports etc. To get rid of them these departments first keep sending reminder or reminder to importers of these items to get these cleared. Then they restore to sending legal notices. After the failure these banks, railways, airlines, customs etc have to give public notices to importers and then go to courts where it take years and years in reaching to the auction stage. The point is after so many years what usefulness vitality of these items remain. For example the case of above âfood chemical or apple sidraâ. It was lying since years. The laboratory report did not indicate how much its further usefulness period remains. May be we can say it was to remain further 4-6 months from the date of auction. But the point is after its purchase from the auction when would the purchaser use it. May be he sells it in the market where it remains being sold for next 2 years. Even if the purchaser utilize this instantly, chances of which are remote, then what would be the validity of the food prepared from this chemical.
I do remember about 5-6 years back addressing the Federation or Chamber of Commerce the then CBR Chief sated that the dried milk powder is lying in CBR warehouses since 10 years.
My contention is under our present auction system what the nation practically gets in national treasure in comparison to the dangers to national life by using such food eatables. Why should for larger national interests such confiscated items not be burnt and destroyed rather than selling those in a price as the nation saw in recent sale of Pakistan Steel.
I struggled on this subject for about 7-8 years. I addressed many NGOs not to get any response. I addressed some letters to editors but for this foolish subject no body had a space. If my memories are not misguiding me in this old and sick age with my very poorly operated eye vision, I also addressed this issue some years back as a Human Rights Petition to the Honourable Supreme Court of Pakistan but perhaps my petition got lost in mail.
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