September 28, 2006	Thursday	Ramazan 4, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Sept 27: Sale of acid-soaked ginger has started again in many parts of the country and the injurious root-spice has been supplied in bulk to markets in Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore and other major cities and the Northern Areas, sources told Dawn on Wednesday.

The sources said traders involved in the business were taking advantage of increasing demand of ginger during Ramazan and supplying huge quantity in wholesale markets.

It has been proved through chemical analysis by the National Institute of Health that acid-washed ginger is dangerous for human life.

The sources said the ginger was dipped in sulphuric acid for at least 10 days so that it put on weight and gave a clean look.

They said the acid-soaked ginger became five times heavier than the untreated one and a consignment of Rs100,000 was sold for Rs500,000.

The practice was controlled to some extent some three months ago when the issue was highlighted in the media but now it is again on the rise.

The Islamabad administration claimed that it had wiped out all factories where ginger was processed with the acid.

It claimed that those who had been removed from Islamabad had started the business in parts of Rawalpindi.

“We have information that some people in Pir Vedhai and its adjacent slum areas, Bangash Colony and Ziaul Haq Colony are running small factories from where the hazardous ginger is supplied to different parts of the country up to the Northern Areas,” Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Chaudhry Mohammad Ali said.

The deputy commissioner issued a letter to the Rawalpindi district government asking it to take action against those involved in making and selling acid-dipped ginger.

The Islamabad administration under a notification issued on Wednesday imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code banning production and sale of dangerous ginger in the capital.

“It has been brought to appear to me that ginger washed with acid is being sold by certain people in Islamabad which is causing danger to human life and immediate action is required to prevent the selling of the unhygienic vegetable with immediate effect,” the order issued by the deputy commissioner in the capacity of district magistrate said.

The deputy commissioner told Dawn that teams had been formed to check the business strictly.

Some traders said ginger did not grow in Pakistan, therefore, it was imported from China, Burma, Singapore, Bangladesh, India and other countries.

“The vegetable is stocked in Islamabad and Karachi after being imported through land and aerial routes and in these places it is treated with the acid before supply to various parts of the country,” they said.