DEHRADUN: In a survey conducted by a private agency in Uttarakhand over 50% samples of sanitizers in the market failed.
The survey was done by Dehradun based Society Of Pollution And Environmental Conservation Scientists (SPECS) which picked up 1050 samples from all 13 districts of the hill state out of which 578 were not found up to the mark.
Brij Mohan Sharma, secretary of the SPECS said, "According to the prescribed norms, alcohol content in sanitizer should be 60-70% but more than half did not have that much concentration. Hydrogen per Oxide was found over 0.5% in 112 samples which is above the prescribed norms."
The chemical composition of the sanitizers was also found in violation of norms such as methanol content above prescribed limits.
Dr NS Bisht, senior physician based in Dehradun commenting on the issue said, "Medical Council of India has set the norms for ingredient/chemical composition for sanitizer to be used in these pandemic times. Sub-standard quality of sanitizer is damaging for individual as well as collective society."
Maximum number of sanitizer samples failed in Champawat and Chamoli districts with 64% failure followed by Rudraprayag (60%), Tehri (58%), Almora, Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar with 56% each, Pauri (54%), 52% each in Haridwar, Uttarkashi and 49% in Pithoragarh district.
Officials from the state health department said measures are in place for quality check.
"The mechanisms for quality check and prevent sub-standard manufacturing is already in place. This will be looked into, " said an official from the state health department.