The State government has filed an appeal in the Supreme Court to make milk adulteration a non-bailable offence. Food and Civil Supplies Minister Girish Bapat on Monday informed the Assembly that the government will request the Centre to prepare a set of rules for the State to deal with the menace.
The Minister was replying to a question by Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Bharat Bhalke from Pandharpur over the seizure of chemicals at Sri Ram milk collection centre in Solapur.
Minister of State Madan Yerawar said on April 14, 2016, Lactose powder, dried Glucose syrup and refined Contasid oil worth Rs. 1.65 lakh were seized from the milk centre. The accused are currently in judicial custody.
NCP leader Ajit Pawar, however, objected to the minister’s answer and reminded him about the proposal raised during the previous Congress-NCP government, which was to invoke non-bailable sections against those who are indulged in a milk-adulteration racket.
Mr. Bapat said the proposal was stayed by a Bombay High Court Bench. “We have appealed in the apex court through the special public prosecutor against the stay.”
“No such cases will be tolerated and we will be recommending the Union government to make changes in the existing law which will strengthen the process to punish the accused,” he said.
