Milk most adulterated product in Patiala

Karam Prakash

Tribune News Service

Patiala, August 23

Tandarust Punjab Mission — launched by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to make Punjab the healthiest state — seems to have fallen flat in Patiala as 66.7 per cent of the failed food samples this year are of milk and milk products.

In fact, one of the aims of the mission was to provide safe food to the people of Punjab. However, 45 food samples in the CM’s district since January this year have already failed. Significantly, 30 out of 45 samples are of milk and its products.

As per the documents furnished by the District Health Officer (DHO), Patiala, as many as 193 samples were collected until now in 2019. Out of which, 45 samples have failed to meet the quality standards.

The Patiala Police last year had seized more than 7,000 litres of spurious milk from a spurious milk factory at Mehon village in Devigarh which was sealed thereafter. Ironically, the said factory — owing to the negligence of the health and police officials — started making the products this year again sans permission.

Meanwhile, experts say spurious milk and its products can cause food poisoning and gastrointestinal complications. The other synthetic compounds impair the functioning of various organs, thereby, causing heart problems and cancer. It can also be fatal.

Besides, the shortage of food safety officers also added to the woes of the said mission in Punjab. It has been learnt that more than 40 per cent of the total sanctioned posts are lying vacant in the state.

Meanwhile, Patiala DHO Satinder Singh said, “More than 20 milk chilling factories, 17 confectionary stores, and 10 sweetmeat shops, including Verka milk plant, have already been raided.”