State FDA finally wakes up, wants to know how toxic Holi colours really are

Holi has been celebrated in India for years, with coloured powders often known to contain poisonous materials, but the state Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has only now woken up to this fact

Holi has been celebrated in India for years, with coloured powders often known to contain poisonous materials, but the state Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has only now woken up to this fact. In a bid to find out the toxicity of their chemical composition, two days before this year's festival, it has written to the Drug Controller General, asking to list the appropriate parameters of the components that make the powders safe for usage. Dr Pallavi Darade, FDA commissioner, confirmed the development.

The coloured powders used during Holi are known to contain poisonous chemicals like lead oxide, copper sulphate, aluminum bromide, copper, mercury, toxic asbestos and silica dust. On account of the presence of these, FDA has to check them for people's safety. But sadly, the regulatory body does not even know the parameters to check the safety levels.

"We have decided to examine samples of chemical-based colours used for the celebration, but the problem is, we don't know the parameters needed to ensure the colours are harmless. The Drug Controller General hasn't provided us with any written ones to be followed. If we don't know what to check in the chemicals then what can we do?" asked a senior state FDA officer.

Also read: Environment minister plans raids on factories making toxic colours

However, health activists are livid at FDA for taking the action this late. "This has always been known to the officers but FDA hardly ever checks the colours for contamination or adulteration. Now, how do they expect the central body to provide them all the parameters within two days? Such implementations come under the state government and they can't blame a central body for that," said Dr Sudhir Mishra, a health activist.

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