KD NEWS SERVICE
SRINAGAR, Oct 8: Sajjid Ahmad, a college student had Wazwaan last month at a restaurant in Srinagar. After an hour, he suffered severe digestive tract infection. He felt an irritation in his throat and burning sensation, followed by fever.
Sajjid, who lives in Srinagar’s Habak area, was rushed to the hospital. After the screening, doctors told him that he had food poisoning because of consumption of colouring agents with Wazwaan.
“The colouring agents are being used in food items but why does the government allow their sale in markets,” he asked, who was discharged after three days from hospital.
This is not an isolated case, but scores of such cases are getting reported everyday in Kashmir where people face food poisoning after consumption of Wazwaan or other food items like traditional snack Nadre Mounji, Biryani and pickle.
Ghulam Mohammad, a resident of Batamaloo, said that use of chemicals was being widely used in dishes like Wazwan and grilled chicken and meat, which gives it a reddish colour. “Government is not taking any measures to stop this practice.”
Earlier the government had issued an advisory asking people not to allow chefs to use any artificial colorants while preparing the Wazwan.
“Consumers are advised to encourage use of safe and natural colour extracts like cocks comb, sun-dried red chillies and pure spices both at home and during functions and festivals,” the advisory said.
Ali Mohammad, a chef from old city Srinagar said that the government should completely ban the colourful food agents.
