The State government has informed the Madras High Court that a committee would be constituted to probe the allegation of milk adulteration by private producers. Considering the seriousness of the allegation, the Bench has directed the State government to file a status report in a couple of weeks.
The Government pleader made the submission on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) moved by advocate A.P. Suryaprakasam, which sought a CBI probe into the alleged adulteration of milk by private producers, besides calling for the enhancement of the punishment for the offence of adulteration to life imprisonment.
When the plea came up for hearing before the First Bench of Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M. Sundar on Monday, the Bench wondered as to how Parliament could be directed by the court to make amendments to a statute. However, taking the seriousness of the allegation into account, the Bench directed the State government to file a status report in two weeks and posted the plea to June 19 for further hearing.
The Bench also asked the government to ensure that strong action is taken against the offenders if the allegation is proved.
“If the citizens are forced to consume adulterated milk, then the government, [which is] responsible for the health and safety of citizens, has to be taken to task for not discharging its statutory duties,” the petitioner said.
Noting that he was “shocked and surprised” to read the statement of the State Dairy Development Minister that private milk producers were using harmful chemicals in the production of milk, the petitioner added that the Minister had in fact asserted that he was making such a statement only after he became absolutely sure that adulteration was taking place.
Claiming that the authorities, despite being in possession of concrete proof, were yet to act against the adulterators, the petitioner sought a court direction to the government to take necessary steps to urgently amend the provisions of the Indian Penal Code, so as to enhance the punishment for adulterators of milk and milk products to a life sentence.
‘Test Aavin milk too’
In the wake of Dairy Development Minister K.T. Rajenthra Bhalaji’s allegation that private milk producers were supplying adulterated milk, the Tamil Nadu Milk Dealers Employees Welfare Association has said that any investigation into the quality of milk should cover Aavin as well.
S.A. Ponnusamy, state president of the association, alleged that there have been several cases in the past where Aavin had supplied adulterated milk.
“Aavin destroyed adulterated stockswhenever complaints of adulteration were found to be true,” he claimed.
