The milk crisis in India

The Supreme Court has once again intervened on behalf of the people and in the interest of public welfare by seeking the response of the Center and various governments on a plea for checking sale of synthetic and adulterated milk and various dairy products.

AFTER CONTINUOUS flashing of TV reports indicating how synthetic milk has flooded the market, the Supreme Court's move is indeed very timely. A bench headed by Chief Justice SH Kapadia has very rightly issued notices to the Centre and the state governments of Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Delhi on a PIL which has also sought framing of a 'comprehensive' policy on the production, supply and sale of healthy, hygienic and natural milk.

The plea filed by a group of citizens, led by Swami Achyutanand Tirth of Uttarakhand, is worth studying keenly for the alarming picture that it has painted. The PIL says that synthetic and adulterated milk and milk products are being prepared using urea, detergent, refined oil, caustic soda, white paint etc which, according to opinion of experts, are 'very hazardous' to human life and can cause serious diseases like cancer. This is not all. The PIL has referred to a January 2011 survey report by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) from different cities in 33 States which says that out of total 1,791 random samples taken 1 226 samples were found not fit for human consumption.

This survey report went on to say that this meant that 'on national level 68.4% of milk samples were found adulterated', that 'in states of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, 88% of milk samples were found adulterated', and that there was 'presence of adulterants like fat, 'solid not fat (SNF)', sugar, starch, urea, detergents, formalin etc in milk samples.'
After reading this, can there be any doubt about the alarming situation and imminent danger to public health posed by this brand of milk. Undoubtedly, the matter requires immediate action on the part of Central government and the state governments to ensure supply of healthy, hygienic and natural milk to the citizens of India. This would need a concrete action plan which alone can help substantially in stopping the rot. Why has such a situation cropped up? It may be recalled that over 10 years ago Allahabad High Court had considered the issue which had then caused panic in the state and ordered district-wise monitoring of the milk situation. So far as the formation of the monitoring committee for Allahabad district was concerned, the High Court had ordered that editor of Northern India Patrika also be among the members.

The committee was active for several months and when the situation seemed to be under control the vigilance was apparently relaxed. That resulted in the re-emergence of the crisis which gradually assumed a formidable form and has now acquired frightening dimensions. Now that the Supreme Court is looking into the matter, it is to be hoped that something effective will emerge to wage a war against adulteration which has crossed all limits. The question that any layman will ask is: What has the administration been doing all these years?