FAILED MILK SAMPLES

Three months on, health officials yet to submit report

Patiala, December 14

More than three months have passed when eight out of the 11 samples of Singla Milk Chilling Centre in Mehon village, near Devigarh, failed the quality test, but the District Health Department is yet to initiate any action against the factory owner. 

District health officer and food safety officer have not submitted the report to the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) to take a decision on the penalties to be imposed on the centre owner against the violations. 

In September, the report had found samples of three mix milk, one paneer, one butter, one desi ghee and one cow desi ghee samples below fixed standard. 

After samples failed the quality test, the Health Department gave one month time period to challenge the report against the Singla Milk Chilling Centre to its owner, which elapsed in October this year. 

All samples were tested at the Government Laboratory, Kharar. As per the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the penalty for substandard food sample extends up to 5 lakh on one item.

When asked about delay in submitting the report, district health officer, Krishan Singh said, “We are waiting for a reply from the centre owner. We had sent him the notice to inform that he could challenge the report. We have not submitted the report, but I have to check the records as I don’t remember what the status of the case is.”

In fact, after the raid, the police investigation revealed that officials of the Health Department were hand in glove with the centre owner and were getting his samples cleared from the government lab in Kharar.

Adulterated food items seized

On August 16, a police team had raided the Singla Milk Chilling Centre. The owner was arrested and the police seized 7,000 litres of adulterated milk, 323 bags of skimmed milk powder, 250 litres of chemicals used in making adulterated milk, 20 quintals of paneer and 12 quintals of ghee, besides refined oil, soda, acid and detergent powder. Subsequently, statewide raids were initiated to keep a check on adulterated food items.