M.P. government to invoke NSA against milk adulterators
Days after inter-State synthetic milk rackets were busted in two districts of Madhya Pradesh, State Public Health and Family Welfare Minister Tulsiram Silawat has said that the National Security Act, 1980, would be invoked against those involved in adulterating milk and dairy products and selling it.
Directing Divisional Commissioners, District Collectors and Superintendents of Police to invoke the Act whenever necessary and the Food and Drug Administration Department to form flying squads to raid units manufacturing synthetic milk and dairy products, he said, “Adulterators will not be allowed to play with the health of people. Moreover, if officials adopt a callous attitude in catching them, they will face disciplinary action.”
The State, for the first time, had invoked the Act in a case of milk adulteration against four persons in Gwalior two years ago.
Stating that the adulterators were a threat to public health, State Controller of the Food and Drug Administration Department Ravindra Singh said, “After the rackets were discovered, we began collecting samples across the State and have sent them to a lab for testing. Mr. Silawat has asked us to identify and act against government officials who may be part of the nexus.”
Spurious products in Morena and Bhind may still be on the market shelves, admits Mr. Singh. “We’re working on identifying the origin of the chain to break the supply,” he added.
On July 19, on a tip-off, a Special Task Force team and the department raided Khandeshwari Dairy and Agrawal Chemicals in Amba in Morena district and found samples of the same shampoo, detergents and chemicals in both the places and milk laced with them. In Lahar in Bhind district, another team raided Naveen Traders and Gopal Chilling Centre where adulterated milk was seized.
Gloss