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.
