Of the 1,186 food samples collected over the last three months by the Society of Pollution and Environmental Conservation Scientists (SPECS), Dehradun, Uttarakhand, from 47 places along the Char Dham Yatra routes of Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, 1,003 samples (or a whopping 84.5 per cent) were found to be adulterated.

Eighty-four per cent of the adulteration in foodstuff took place on the Badrinath-Kedarnath route, while 84.5 per cent adulteration in foodstuff took place on the Gangotri-Yamnotri Route. Eighty-one per cent of the iodised salt samples contained no iodine.

The prasad (offerings to gods in the temples) is also of a poor quality. Ilaichi dana was found to contain chemicals. The coconut was found to be stale and of a poor quality, as were chhuara, cashew and kishmish in Kedarnath. The pure ghee offered to Kedarnath Ji was also found to be adulterated.

Chilli sauce, tomato sauce and vinegar used for chow mein and other Chinese meals were found to be 100 per cent adulterated.

Sindoor, or roli, was found to contain 100 per cent toxic chemicals. It can cause local irritation and skin toxicity. The nature of sindoor, or kumkum, can change with exposure to the environment over time, and this can result in blisters, itching, rashes, pigmentation and, at times, serious dermatological disorders.

The samples were collected with the help of trained volunteers. The campaign was supported by Lok Sanchar Vikas Samiti. This was stated in a report by Brij Mohan Sharma, secretary, SPECS.

“Uttarakhand is known for its simple pure unadulterated food, but what we are getting from outside is adulterated processed food,” he said.

Sharma added, “Products from branded companies which reach the mountains is of a poor quality as compared to those available in Dehradun. Calcium is absent in milk and milk products. Mustard oil is adulterated.”

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