Story Content

Fakes in Vaishno Devi Silver Offerings: 95% Fake, Hated by Devotees, Toxic Material Found in Silver.

The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board handed over approximately 20 tonnes of offerings it accumulated to melt in a government mint and be stored there, hoping to fetch back a market value of Rs 500-550 crore worth of silver. Assays made of the offerings shocked the officials when the offerings were found to consist only of 5-6% actual silver—most of the rest being cadmium and iron. 

The initial test revealed the true value of the silver was about only Rs 30 crore. One recent shipment of 70 kg of silver alms given to the shrine board contained no more than 3 kg of real silver, a high mint officer attested. 

The next contaminant is cadmium, which is a carcinogen and is strictly controlled by the Bureau of Indian Standards. It is almost similar to silver in color and cannot be easily distinguished using the naked eye. On melting, it evaporates its toxic fumes, resulting in severe lung and kidney damage. Whereas silver is being traded at a rate of approximately Rs 275,000 per kg, cadmium is only trading at a rate of Rs 400-500 per kg. 

The government mint has already sent a letter to the office of the J&K Lieutenant Governor and the Shrine Board several times, but nothing seems to have been put into action. 

Cheating took place among millions of devotees. Million dollars down the drain. And an unhealthy health risk is disregarded.