SC calls for life imprisonment for milk adulteration

 

A laboratory analyst mixes milk powder with chemicals in a test tube to determine the amount of fat in the powder inside a food lab in New Delhi February 10, 2012. After two decades of rapid economic growth and rising living standards, millions of Indians have a richer and more varied diet than ever before. But safety standards have struggled to keep pace in a country that still has more poor than anywhere else in the world and where modern supermarkets remain relatively rare.

Lakhs of Diabetes and hypertension patients in many cities are taking a deadly risk every time they drink a glass of milk. Most Indians are consuming detergents and culprits are getting away with a slap on the wrist – maximum punishment of six months for such offences under the Food Safety and Standards Act.

Taking a strict note of the health hazards caused by adulterated milk, the Supreme Court has urged today the state governments to make necessary amendments to their laws to make production and marketing of adulterated milk, which is injurious to human consumption, an offence punishable with life imprisonment.

The observation by an apex court bench of Justice K.S. Radhakrishnan and Justice A.K. Sikri came after taking note of Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Odisha having made the sale of adulterated milk, contaminated with synthetic material, an offence punishable with life imprisonment.

The court was hearing a public suit which said samples collected by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India in 2011 revealed large-scale sale of adulterated milk across the country. Around 70% milk samples collected from across the country by the Food Safety and Standards of Authority of India (FSSAI) were found not up to the standards.

Adulterated milk may be a reason behind many mysterious gastroenteritis attacks. Numerous people are affected from this which is increasing the rate of disease in the country.