Corridors of adulterated chilli spice

Hyderabad: Alas, chilli spent once used as bio-fuel in power plants or disposed of in landfills is now turned out to be the main ingredient in the manufacturing of chilli spice that set your taste buds on fire. Chilli spent is the residue after the extraction of essential oils and oleoresins from red chilli.

Albeit Guntur is well-known for its notoriety in manufacturing adulterated chilli powder, the recent raids conducted by the Vigilance and Enforcement (V&E) Department in Warangal, Mahabubabad and Khammam establish the cross-border illegal trade corridor between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

It may be noted here that V&E sleuths registered five cases each in Warangal and Khammam districts, and three in Mahabubabad district and found huge volumes of chilli spent, allegedly originated from the Chenguang Biotech (India) Pvt. Ltd., a manufacturing unit of colour and oil from red chilli, located in Mudigonda mandal (Khammam).

“Chilli spent, once used as bio-fuel in power plants or disposed in landfills is now turned out as the main ingredient in the preparation of adulterated chilli powder. The companies which used to pay Re 1 per kg to dispose the chilli spent generated from their units, are now making hay of the situation as they sell it for around Rs 20 a kg.

This sums up the story,” Mannava Subba Rao Chairman of the Guntur Agricultural Market Committee (AMC), which has Asia’s largest chilli yard, told The Hans India. On the other hand, the Chenguang Biotech clarified to police that they have been supplying the chilli spent under the proviso “not fit for human or animal consumption”.

Referring to the recent seizure of huge quantities of adulterated chilli powder in Guntur and Krishna districts, Rythu Sangham Guntur district secretary Y Radhakrishna said: “The illegal trade is well-organised extending its tentacles in both the Telugu-speaking States.”

AIKS Telangana Joint Secretary Nunna Nageswara Rao said that hitherto the mode of adulteration involved use of low-quality red chilli mixed with the quality red chilli. Of late, the trade thrives on chilli spent which is highly toxic for human consumption. Use of chemicals like red oxide and Rhodamine-B in the preparation makes it even more dangerous, he added.

V&E Inspector N Venkatesh said: “In all, we have found more than 1.50 lakh bags of chilli spent during raids in several cold storage units located in Warangal, Mahabubabbad and Khammam districts. It appears like that chilli spent is the main ingredient in the manufacturing of adulterated chilli powder. In all, we have booked seven cases in three districts and investigation is on.”

He said that many traders fearing V&E raids in both the States abandoning huge quantities of chilli spent. Meanwhile, the police on Sunday found more than 1,800 bags of chilli spent abandoned near Allipuram village on the suburbs of Khammam. Villagers said that these bags were disposed by unknown persons Saturday midnight.

Altogether, the V&E officials seized 20,000 bags of chilli spent in Warangal, 6,000 bags in Mahabubabad and 1.30 lakh bags in Khammam district in last one month. On the other hand, the AP government had seized over 10 lakh kg of adulterated chilli powder in Guntur and Krishna districts.
So far twelve persons have been remanded in connection with cases in Telangana.