Is a chemical powder being added to the milk?
Are you sure that the Aavin milk you
give your child is safe? Milk producers say it's not.
A chemical powder is being substituted for milk on a large
scale by some of the farmers who sell their milk to Aavin, according to
complaints made to Collector Anshul Mishra here on Friday. “Despite
complaints made against this kind of adulteration, Aavin officials have
not taken any concrete steps to prevent it, and also no action has been
taken against those involved in it,” said P.S. Muthupandi, district
secretary of Tamil Nadu Milk Producers’ Association. He was supported by
K. Devarajan of Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam.
Mr.
Muthupandi said that after the issue was brought to the Collector’s
notice through the public grievance redressal page on Facebook that
officials started rejecting such adulterated milk.
“This
chemical, said to be brought from Kerala, is being sold to the farmers
in Chellampatti union. It costs around Rs. 250 a kg. When half a kilo of
powder is mixed in 40 litres of water, the water turns milky. It passes
the lactometer tasting tests,” he said.
He said that
customers were buying the Aavin milk with great faith in the product.
“It was being promoted as a healthy drink for children, the aged and for
patients in hospitals,” he said.
When the Collector
sought an explanation, an Aavin official said that such milk had been
rejected following complaints.
Mr. Devaraj asked the
Aavin official, “All that you did was discard the adulterated stuff. But
what is the action you have taken against those involved in
adulteration.”
“Should not Aavin officials doubt when
somebody suddenly supplied abnormally higher quantity of milk to the
cooperative societies?” Mr. Muthupandi asked the official.
Not satisfied with the official’s answer, the Collector
said that it was a very serious issue. He promised to look into the
allegation and take stringent action against the officials, if they had
failed to prevent adulteration.
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