Milk adulteration: All the collectors directed to send periodical reports

Chennai: The Madras High Court has directed all collectors to send periodical reports on the implementation of the directions of the Supreme Court relating to curbing milk adulteration to the Commissioner of Food Safety, who shall consolidate and submit themto the Secretary, Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development department, for review and appropriate instructions.

A division bench comprising Justices S. Manikumar and Subramonium Prasad gave the direction while disposing of a public interest litigation filed by advocate A.P. Suryaprakasam, which sought a CBI probe into the allegation that milk being sold in the state was adulterated. If it was found to be true, Mr Suryaprakasam sought prosecution of companies that adulterate milk.

The bench said Special Government Pleader J. Pothiraj had submitted that the directions of the Supreme Court would be implemented. Health and education were the areas where the government has to pay more attention. The Supreme Court had issued guidelines in the backdrop of adulteration of food and other eatables. Based on the newspaper report that milk is adulterated, the petitioner has filed the petition, the bench added.

The bench said it has gone through the material on record, the directions issued by the Supreme Court and the action taken report. Execution of directions of the Supreme Court shall be monitored periodically, the court said. It was for this that the court sought a report.

The bench said as regards criminal action cases filed in courts was concerned, the DSPs were directed to submit periodical report to the DGP for appropriate action. The Director of School Education was directed to continue with the training to nodal teachers and children under the Detect Adulteration with Rapid Test (DART) and submit a report to the Secretary, School Education department. The reports shall be sent once in two months, the bench added.