Imported red wheat unfit for human consumption: Gadkari

Nagpur, Jan 30 (UNI) BJP Maharashtra unit President Nitin Gadkari today said an analysis by a government laboratory of the imported red wheat clearly showed that it was 'unfit for human consumption.' In a statement issued here, Mr Gadkari said of the 682 samples taken from government warehouses and analysed, 285 had been found containing live or dead insects. The samples were collected between September and December 2007 and sent to the Pune-based State Public Health Laboratory (SPHL) of the state government's health services, he said.

''This proves once again that the imported red wheat is, indeed, fit only for consumption by pigs,'' Mr Gadkari claimed. It was now clear that the incumbent Democratic Front (DF) government in Maharashtra and the Union Ministry of Agriculture had tried to feed rotten and spoilt wheat to the poor and unsuspecting people of the state, he alleged.

In its report sent to former BJP MP Kirit Somaiyya earlier this month, a copy of which was released by Mr Gadkari to the press here, SPHL said that it analysed 682 samples of red wheat, received from different government agencies from various districts in Maharashtra.

''Out of 682 samples analysed, 285 samples were found adulterated and not conforming to standards. Most of the adulterated samples were found insect damaged and/or insect infected, and uric acid content (was) more due to (the) presence of living and/or dead insects,'' the report said.

''The permissible limits for weevilled grains and uric acid content in wheat samples are maximum 10 per cent (by count) and maximum 100 mg/kg respectively,'' it added.

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