Chennai: The state government has informed Madras high court that it has formed state and district level steering committee to check adulteration of milk in the state.
When a matter regarding this came up for hearing, Dr J. Radhakrishnan, secretary, health and family welfare department, filed an affidavit stating that the government on June 15, 2017 constituted a state level steering committee under the chairmanship of chief secretary and district level steering committees under the chairmanship of collectors for smooth operation of regulatory provisions of Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Standards Act 2006.
He noted that the authorities conducted routine milk and milk products’ check for six years from August 2011 and during the study 886 samples were collected in 32 districts and found that no samples were found unsafe. Of this, 187 samples were found substandard and misbranded. As many as 81 persons were convicted in 143 cases and government collected a penalty of Rs 10.26 lakh.
On analyzing milk products, a total of 338 samples were collected and of this 11 were found unsafe (biological contamination like e.coli, yeast, mould, synthetic colour, extraneous matter like hair etc.). A total of 132 samples were found substandard and misbranded. A total of 56 persons were convicted in 83 cases and collected a penalty of Rs 6 lakh from them.
Following the startling statement made by state dairy development minister Rajendra Balaji recently alleging that private milk producers indulged in adulteration, Congress advocate A. P. Suryaprakasam filed a PIL demanding the court to order CBI probe into the issue. On June 6, the court also directed authorities to file a status report on the issue and adjourned the matter to June 19. Seeking CBI probe, the PIL said the minister himself had alleged that private milk firms were indeed using harmful chemicals in their milk.
