Surendra Gangan / DNA

• Govt launches special kits across the city to curb rampant milk adulteration

Mumbai, Jul 26: In order to curb milk adulteration, the state government on Wednesday July 25, announced the launch of special kits to keep a check this practice. While accepting rampant adulteration of milk, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) department told the Upper house that the state will set up its own laboratory to the check milk samples.

The kit contains a lactometer and other equipment that can detect adulteration. The kit costing Rs3,000 will be made available in each district. “Five such kits that have been distributed in Mumbai, Thane and other districts have shown effective results,” said Baba Siddiqui, minister of state for FDA.   

Siddiqui, while replying to questions raised by MLCs Sanjay Dutt, Govindrao Adik and others on adulteration, said the government was doing its best to restrain the problem.

“Between April 06 and March 07 the state prosecuted 78 accused who directly indulged in adulteration, while 64 dealers faced administrative action. Action was taken against 19 private and 5 cooperative brands for milk adulteration,” he told the house.

However, members said, “FDA, in the first week of June, accepted that 25 per cent of the milk supplied in the city is adulterated. The government, despite its assurance in the budget session, has not taken any corrective measures to stop this ill practise.”

Siddiqui said that 546 samples of various brands, out of which 32 were of sub-standard quality, were collected during the government raid. 4,353 litre of milk was destroyed, while 19,668 litre of milk was seized and prohibited from entering the market.

When Sudha Joshi asked why the state did not receive reports of the sample, Siddiqui said that it was expected in the next few days. “The governments own laboratory will come up in the next two years enabling the state to have immediate reports of the seized samples,” Siddiqui said.

Milk producers use skimmed milk, starch oil, sugar for the adulteration. “The kits, which are passed by National Dairy Development Board will enable us to checking this,” he added.