Nov 20, 2012

White lie: Check the Milk you drink

Jammu, November 19
In the absence of quality checks, more than 10 lakh residents of the city are being supplied adulterated milk. The Jammu Municipal Corporation or other agencies do not have the requisite manpower or equipment at their disposal to monitor the quality of the milk being supplied in city.

Though the officials claim to conduct routine checks, but it is proving very difficult to monitor quality of the milk because of small private dairies mushrooming in residential colonies.

Residents accuse vendors of selling sub-standard milk despite increasing the price. Health is a major concern with them.

The MC had recently announced introduction of computerised mobile-testing laboratories to check samples at major road junctions on a daily basis. Checks will be conducted on the road junctions from which bulk supply of milk enters the temple city.

The move is pending approval of the government. The government has to release funds for purchase of equipment to conduct the checks.

“Residents are unhappy with the quality of milk and milk products. Milk producers and distributors are openly playing with the health of the residents,” said Rajni Sharma, a housewife.

Unable to cope up with increasing demand of milk, Jammu annually imports nearly six lakh MT from other parts of the country and most of it is supplied to the distributors directly, without any tests for quality.

Health Officer, JMC, Dr Vinod Sharma, said regular tests are being conducted in the city, but as tones of milk is consumed daily, it becomes difficult to monitor quality.

“A proposal has been sent to the government and we are waiting for funds to be released for purchase of small electronic labs.”

Last year, the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) have claimed that 83 per cent of the milk sold to consumers in the state was adulterated. Though these findings were challenged by the Drug and Food Control Organisation (D&FCO), but it still raises doubts as the FSSAI is a reputed organisation when it comes to food standards.

The study had found that most common adulteration in the state is of glucose and skimmed milk products, mixed with the intention to earn profit at the expense of the heath of the common man.

MILKING PROFIT

The Jammu Municipal Corporation does not have the requisite manpower or equipment at their disposal to monitor the quality of the milk being supplied in city
The MC is finding it difficult to monitor the quality of milk because of small private dairies in residential colonies
The MC had recently announced introduction of computerised mobile-testing laboratories to check milk samples at major road junctions on a daily basis
The move is pending approval of the government