Rakhis ‘Made in China’ attractive, but risky

Mohit Khanna

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Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 17

People are unaware of the possible risks of the new rakhis with the ‘Made in China’ tag which have become an instant hit.

“Many toys had been withdrawn from markets in the US and Europe after they were found containing lead-based paint that can harm a child. The colours used in rakhis are similar to those used in toys. The brighter the rakhi, the more dangerous it is. And, unlike toys, the rakhis are unbranded so, the risk is greater,” said Amit Behal, who runs an NGO.

Shelley, a mother of two children, has another domestic battle in her hands. Two months back, she had to wean her kids away from Chinese-made toys after the reports relating lead being used in colours could damage a child’s brain cells were out.

Now, her six-year-old son Suraj, who is hooked to the Chotta Bheem cartoon series, wants a Chotta Bheem rakhi, one of the brightest-coloured Chinese rachis, that have flooded the market.

“It is getting difficult now to coax him to wear one of the Indian rakhis, which are plain, but I do not want to take any risks. He will be eating with the hand on which the rakhi will be tied,” she said.

“A majority of the people are unaware of the possible risks of these new Chinese rakhis. The brighter the rakhi, the more dangerous it is. And, unlike toys, the rakhis are unbranded so the risk is greater,” said Munish Munjal, senior ENT specialist.

“They are painted in bright shades of red, orange and green. So, there’s every chance of these rakhis being polluted with lead. Even minute amounts of lead can cause neurological problems in kids,” said Munjal.

He suggests parents keep their kids away from them. “Even if the paint comes off on the hand and the kid uses the same hand for eating, it can be problematic,” Munjal added.

Rakhi fad among children

As favourite cartoon characters are coming in the shape of rakhis, children instead of buying one rakhi are busy collecting a whole collection of their favourite cartoon characters.

A city resident Rishi Punni said his son has purchased 10 rakhis. “I asked him as to why he was taking all those rakhis. He was quick to reply and said he wants to collect all his favourite cartoon characters.”

Similarly, Naina also bought eight rakhis shaped as a watch.

Meanwhile, local traders have little knowledge about the dangers of lead and cadmium in their paints. Anil, a stationary shop owner at Field Gunj market, has a big stock of Chinese rakhis due to their sales potential. “The Chinese rakhis have become a rage among children because of the Doremon and Chotta Bheem characters on them. This week, anyone buying a rakhi for a child has been only picking up the Chinese rakhis,” said Anil.

Sakshi, a mother of a five-year-old girl, said the government should assess the health risk of these imports and do something about it. “The Chinese rakhis are all over the market with every kid wanting to buy them,” she said.