Fake eggs from Andhra Pradesh feared to be made of plastic have caused panic after they were recovered in large numbers from markets in various parts of West Bengal.
More than 80 per cent of West Bengal’s demand for eggs is met by Andhra Pradesh alone. Hence, the recovery of fake eggs with shells made of ‘plastic-like materials’ and chemical induced albumen (white) and embryo (yolk) has sent terror waves among Bengalis. While police raided several markets in Howrah district for the ‘plastic eggs’ on Saturday, Kolkata Municipal Corporation has sent 96,000 samples of eggs for laboratory test.
The issue came to light when a housewife, Anita Kumar, filed a police complaint after she found that the eggs she bought spread out like plastic on pan. She tried burning the egg shells and found they were inflammable.
Since then, Kolkata Police has arrested a wholesale trader Shamim Ansari on Friday night in connection with the sale of the fake eggs. Interrogation of Ansari has led to names of at least three big wholesale companies engaged in large scale business of eggs in the city.
One of the agencies from whom Ansari bought eggs is owned by Sumit Deb, brother of CPM leader Rabin Deb. Sumit Deb was summoned for interrogation on Saturday afternoon.
“We fear that majority of the fake eggs may have come from the coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh, which traditionally have been the source of eggs for West Bengal,” an official of Enforcement Branch of Kolkata Police told New Indian Express. On the other hand, Burdwan and South 24 Parganas district dministration have also sent samples of fake eggs recovered from their respective districts for laboratory test.
The Burdwan complainant has alleged that the plastic eggs have also been delivered to Anganwadi centers in the district. “I bought the eggs from a local store on Friday evening but when I boiled it, the egg became rubbery,” Nitai Basak of Nandagram, Kalna told New Indian Express. “The plastic eggs have also been delivered to Anganwadi centers for mid-day meals,” he claimed.
Experts opined that making fake eggs using chemicals is not a big deal. “Calcium Carbonate, Gypsum and Sodium Alginate can be used to manufacture fake eggs. Dangerous chemicals such as Benzoic Acid and Mercury may be used to make the yolk. These chemicals can affect your liver, even cause cancer,” said Prof Debajyoti Mukherjee of Calcutta University.