Mysuru: The greed of a few has put the lives of thousands of children in danger, that too in Chief Minister Siddaramiah’s own home town. In an act that can only be deemed absolutely unforgivable act, several metric tonnes of ‘adulterated’ moong dal, containing excessive amounts of hazardous chemical substances, were supplied to over 2,000 anganawadi centres in four taluks!
According to the food analysis report prepared by the divisional food laboratory here in Mysuru, which tests and certifies food quality, the chemical substance Teratogen was found in dangerous levels, capable of causing very adverse, albeit longterm effects on the children’s health. The lab has declared the samples ‘unsafe’.
The tragedy here is that is around 15 metric tonnes of this moong dal had already been supplied to and consumed by anganwadis children by the time the report was published.
Ironically, these anganwadi centres fall under the purview of Varuna constituency represented by CM Siddaramaiah, Revenue Minister V. Sreenivas Prasad’s Nanjangud constituency and PWD minister Mahadevappa’s T. Narasipur segment, besides Hunsur taluk.
Speaking to the Deccan Chronicle, Mysore superintendent of police Abhinav Khare expressed shock over the way children safety was compromised.
“Officials of Women and Child Welfare Department have lodged a complaint and we are probing the issue. Cases have been registered against suppliers like Lakshmi Venkateshwara Traders, MK enterprises and others under section 16 of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 in jurisdictional police stations. If charges are proved, we will arrest the suppliers”.
Police filed FIRs in Bannur and Nanjangud rural police station on Wednesday. Periyapatna and Bilikere police have registered cases on Thursday based on the lab reports and complaint lodged by taluk-level officials of Women and Child Welfare Department.
According to Bannur police, 8.7 metric tonnes of adulterated moong dal was distributed to anganwadi centres in Kaggalipura cluster alone.
