HYDERABAD: Though it has been almost a week since the Vikarabad incident which led to the death of two persons and hospitalisation of 186, the State government has not yet taken any steps to keep a close check on the adulteration of toddy (palm wine). This becomes all the more relevant as toddy is widely publicised in the State for its health benefits. However, there is no mechanism to detect adulteration on spot.
There are nearly 1,000 synthetic chemicals, like intoxicants, psychedelics and hallucinogens, which could be used and all these substances act on the central nervous system of customers. However, only around 250-odd chemicals are banned under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
The remaining, since they are not controlled, can be used and abused legally. Ironically, the forensic lab in State is equipped to identify only 50 such substances as it is technically deprived of skillset and research tools.
The State Forensic Science Lab, according to the sources, does not have means to detect even all the substances banned under NDPS Act. Besides, there are many more substances adding up each year. Many substances that come to the lab for testing often go unrecognised as there are no means to prove if it is truly a substance. Such chemicals, according to the sources from the forensic lab, have emerged in various forms and prototypes and the lab is not equipped to identify those.