Diwali is a festival when there is maximum sale of sweets less for consumption, but more for gifting. Distribution and consumption of sweets especially during period of bulk sale is harmful for people’s health. Firstly there is maximum use of adulterated khoya in such days of bulk use. Moreover it is also a usual practice to pass on sweets further as gifts resulting in state sweets reaching the ultimate end-user. Even more importantly, Diabetics is unfortunately spreading fast with life-style full of tension and unease. It is in interest of society itself if distribution of sweets during festivals may be replaced by other items like say salty items (namkeens). But unfortunately Indian society lacks quality of thinking in its own interest, and rather races for unhealthy competition in distribution of costly sweets. Union government in larger public interest should make it mandatory to compulsorily print warnings on sweet-packs about chances of their being harmful in consumption. Encouraging salty items (namkeens) replacing sweets will not affect livelihood of confectioners because usually both sweets and salty items (namkeens) are manufactured or marketed by same confectioners.
Madhu Agrawal
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
