New Delhi: Congress MP Husain Dalwai today demanded that import of Agarbathis from China and Vietnam should be banned immediately as it contains harmful mosquito repellent called Allethrin. Raising the issue in the Upper House of Parliament, he said these Agarbathis are not only harmful but also cause cancer or TB to those engaged in this work. He asked if, a popular eatable Maggi could be banned for being a health hazard, so should such agarbathis.
During the zero hour, the Congress member said he had raised the issue at an earlier session of the House but no action was taken. He was pressed to raise the issue again with an even greater urgency. “Agarbathis imported from China and Vietnam containing a harmful mosquito repellent called Allethrin is allegedly still being sold in the market under the name of Citronella or Lemon Grass agarbathis. The packets of the agarbathis do not reveal their true ingredients so as to avoid the tax which is levied on mosquito repellents”.
These Agarbathis are harmful not just to users especially children who should not be exposed to the odours, but can also lead to cancer or TB in workers engaged in packaging these agarbathis. These imported agarbathis are repackaged by domestic manufacturers and find their way into the market despite a ban on use of such substances in Agarbathis. Such surrogate agarbathis do not have the requisite sanction from the drugs or insecticide departments and hence their sale should be outrightly banned and strict action be taken against sellers misleading the consumers.
Dalwai said he was assured that import of mosquito repellent agarbathis has ceased, but he has received complaints from the ground that the import and sale of these agarbathis are in fact, rampant.
He urged the government to take serious note of the matter and actually conduct a check on agarbathis being sold as Citronella or Lemon Grass agarbathis and get their contents verified.