Choornam fumigation can inhibit bacteria, fungi, say ISM experts

Thrissur: While the

fumigation

programme with mass participation launched by

Alappuzha

municipality has run into controversy, a study conducted in

Thrissur

has established its efficacy, claim experts from the Indian system of medicines (ISM). They said that the study was conducted by them last year as per district collector S Shanawaz’s direction and it proved that fumigation using ‘

aparajitha dhooma choornam

’ was effective against spore-forming

bacteria

and

fungi

.

The study was jointly conducted by experts from Ayush, ISM, and Sitaram Ayurveda Pvt Ltd at the camps for guest workers in Thrissur district in 2020, and was led by Dr P Salajakumari, the Ayurveda DMO.

Dr Salajakumari said on the first day of fumigation the bacterial and fungal counts were reduced by 95% and 96%, respectively. During the third day of fumigation, the level of bacteria reduced from 8020 colony forming units (CFU) to 60CFU, and that of fungi colony reduced from 835CFU to 9CFU, she said.

Microbiologist Sumitha Santhosh, who participated in the study said, modern scientific methodology was used for measuring the level of bacteria and fungi in the indoor air of labour camps of guest workers. The only difference was that instead of chemical substance, traditional mix was used for fumigation, she said.

Dr Sajakumari said that antibacterial activity of aparajitha dhooma choornam remained as such up to 24 hours of fumigation. “Within 72 hours of fumigation, the bacterial or fungal activities were found to be very low in the rooms,” the study report said.

Alappuzha municipality, ruled by LDF, had conducted ‘dhoomasandhya’ programme with an appeal to all families in the municipal area to fumigate their houses using aparajitha dhooma choornam at a particular time on Saturday evening

The leaders of the Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad (KSSP), the pro-Left people’s science organization, had raised objections alleging that this was not a scientific practice, to arrest the spread of coronavirus. “Covid is not something which can be driven away through fumigation. How can a Left-ruled municipality promote such practices, when the Left leaders are condemning the Sangh Parivar-ruled central science organisations for promoting unscientific studies like the efficacy of cow urine in treating coronavirus,” asked KSSP leader Joseph.

When contacted the municipal chairperson Soumya Raj said the dhoomasandhya programme was conducted as an awareness programme, and as per the ayurveda discipline the choornam has the capacity to inhibit bacteria and fungus.