http://epaper.mailtoday.in/Details.aspx?boxid=11317906&id=24223&issuedate=1362009

CHANCES are that the milk you drink is adulterated. And the government may not be equipped with tools to identify some of the substances found in spurious milk.

A test initiated by the Delhi government’s health department has revealed that 29 per cent of milk samples collected from across the Capital is adulterated.

The government insists there is nothing to worry as the milk was only found to have excess water.

The tests were triggered by a raid carried out by the Haryana Police on May 29 at a chilling plant in Dharuhera in Rewari district of Haryana, about 100 km from Delhi. The police seized 74,000 litres spurious milk, 150 kg caustic soda, 158 bags of milk powder and 16 barrels of glucose. The spurious milk was reportedly meant for supply in Delhi.

The Delhi government had received a number of complaints following the raid and had ordered the inquiry.

Ninety- one samples were taken from various vendors across the city and were sent for examination. On Friday, test results of 45 samples were revealed and 13 were found to be adulterated.

Naresh Kadyan, representative of the International Organisation for Animal Protection, had lodged the initial complaint. He said some more samples, including samples from Mother Dairy and other brands, were lifted from the Prashant Vihar area of North- West Delhi. “ These have been sent for examination,” he said.

Kadyan said the health department did not have the required equipment to identify all kinds of adulteration. “ The government wants to play down the issue at the cost of the people’s health.

The government’s laboratory does not have the equipments which can identify urea, soda and other chemicals used to manufacture spurious milk,” said Kadyan. He said he would file a public interest litigation regarding the issue.

However, Delhi health minister Kiran Walia denied the supply of spurious milk.

“ The milk was adulterated only with water. It didn’t contain cream content,” she said. She also rejected Kadyan’s allegation and insisted that the government laboratory had all the tools required to test the quality of milk.

When asked if any particular brands of milk, such as Mother Dairy, were found to be spurious, Walia said it was being verified.

“ I had asked my team to take samples of all the varieties of milk being sold. But I will have to check if any of the branded milk packets were found to be spurious,” she said.

According to an estimate, Delhi consumes about 35 lakh litres milk each day. Most of this comes from Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Of this, 10 per cent of the total milk is branded while 90 per cent is sold through various dairies and milk vendors across the city.

It has been found that dairy owners also use Oxytocin injection to increase the amount of milk produced by animals.

“ This is illegal. But everybody in the business uses it. Besides, milk is adulterated with the caustic soda, palm or refined oil, shampoo and synthetic milk,” Kadyan said.

Caustic soda is mixed to prevent the milk from getting damaged.

“ Milk is brought to Delhi from faraway places. It takes hours to reach. Some milk suppliers don’t have proper cooling systems. So they mix caustic soda to keep the milk safe. The chemical is harmful,” said Kadyan.

During its investigation, the Haryana Police had found that the milk was brought to Dharuhera from Dausa in Rajasthan. After adulteration, it was meant to be distributed in the Capital under the Delhi Milk Scheme.

Naresh Kadyan,
Representative of the International Organization for Animal Protection in India,
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