By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 31 Mar: Every year in Uttarakhand, significant number of food poisoning cases take place as a result of consumption of adulterated buckwheat flour, locally called as Kuttu Atta. In the majority of cases, those falling ill require hospitalisation. Such cases are more common during the festive season and particularly during the Navratri when people fasting consume Kutta Atta and Singhara Atta in place of grains. However, after every such incident, everything is forgotten, and the sale of adulterated Kuttu Atta continues with no effective permanent measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. There is no accountability. The Food Safety Department officials usually conduct some raids only during the time of Holi, Raksha Bandhan and Diwali and, in most cases, this exercise is restricted to check adulterated paneer and other milk products.
In yet another alarming incident, over 100 persons in Dehradun and at least 20 persons in Haridwar fell severely ill after consuming buckwheat flour
While immediate measures have been taken to treat the patients, this crisis is not an isolated case. The state has witnessed a recurring pattern of food poisoning linked to adulterated buckwheat flour, raising serious concerns about food safety regulations and enforcement. The latest incident in Dehradun is only the most recent in a series of similar outbreaks. Past records indicate a troubling pattern of negligence and ineffective regulatory oversight. Some past cases include at least 50 persons falling ill during Navratri in 2020 in Roorkee and Bhagwanpur; 35 persons reported hospitalised in Rishikesh in 2022 and in 2022, itself, 125 persons having been hospitalised after consuming buckwheat flour in Roorkee and Haridwar.
These recurring incidents indicate systemic failures in addressing the root causes of food contamination. Key questions arise as a result that demand answers from the government and the authorities. The biggest question is despite repeated cases, warnings, and administrative actions, why does this issue persist? Another question that arises is what measures have been taken by food safety authorities to monitor and inspect the supply chain of buckwheat flour? Are food safety inspections being conducted regularly?
Yet another question is whether the buckwheat flour is contaminated deliberately by the suppliers through adulteration or is it a result of poor storage conditions that lead to deterioration of the flour? What steps have been taken by the administration to stop poor quality storage or towards making the traders and the shopkeepers aware of the dangers of poor storage?
Despite recurring incidents in this regard, one can’t recall any concrete actions that might have been taken against suppliers or vendors found guilty of selling contaminated food products in previous cases. Levying mere penalties on the traders is no solution and hardly does anything to deter malpractices by them. Despite multiple warnings, why do consumers continue to fall victim to these incidents? Are awareness campaigns about food safety being implemented effectively? Why can’t government put an affective mechanism in place to test food products before they are allowed to be sent to the market for retail sale.
In the wake of the latest incident in Dehradun and in Haridwar, the police and administration have issued warnings against consuming buckwheat flour products, and an inquiry has been launched. However, past responses have followed a predictable pattern of knee-jerk measures rather than proactive enforcement of food safety laws.
Without stringent regulations, robust monitoring, and strict accountability in place, such incidents will likely continue, endangering public health. Is the government listening?
