RAIPUR: If you are eyeing that roadside popsicle or barf ka gola made in unhygienic ice and later dipped in scrumptious looking colorful sherbet, think again. This little piece of heaven in heat is enough to escort people to hospital beds, warn doctors. If that's not startling enough, take this — the ice comes from the bars used in mortuaries to keep dead bodies.

Even as jaundice soars high in capital and neighbouring cities, awareness and precaution is a far cry when it comes to consumption of hygienic food and liquid.

While civic body has already closed down few ice factories, quality of roadside popsicles is yet to be checked. Ice bars are stored at insanitary places and medical students have informed about vendors stealing and purchasing ice bars already used in mortuaries. This highly infected crushed ice is sold as popsicle on the roadside.

While this is heights of negligence, officials at Raipur Municipal Corporation and food and adulteration department claim that regular checks are being conducted.

Talking to Times of India, food safety officer Dr Ashwini Dewanagan said, "Soon after the jaundice scare, we inspected 40-50 roadside vendors in parts of capital and Durg. It's true that they do not store ice bars at clean places. It is mostly kept in open above drains. But it's not possible to keep a check on daily basis as the vendors are large in number."

Dewangan said that many ice factories involved in irregularities have been shut down and samples of milk was also being checked at regular intervals. "It's people who need to beware at present situation. Avoiding sugarcane juice, water sold in pouches and not buying mineral water bottles without ISI marks are the solution," he said.

Dr Arif Memon , a physician , said that popsicles and sugarcane juice should be completely avoided because the quality of water used to prepare ice can't be checked at that moment. "Moreover, germs and viruses in frozen water remain active to harm human body. Even if people wish to eat outside food they should properly check the surroundings and cleanliness the vendor maintains," he said. He suggested that one should keep a check on ingredients in the food being consumed. "Better prepare popsicle or slush at home after boiling water and freezing it," he said.

Raipur has more than 2,000 popsicle vendors who collectively earn more than Rs 5 lakh every month. Residents often yield to their temptation during the day given the extreme temperatures. But with jaundice ghost riding high on people, they are being advised to carry water bottles and energy drinks.

Moreover, the coloured sherbets used in popsicles is also made of inedible colours which rot after being kept for long.

