To crack down on the sale of adulterated milk during the Onam season, the Dairy Development Department is planning stringent measures in association with the food safety authorities.

During Onam, there is an increased demand for milk and the chances of substandard milk being sold are high.

“We will collect samples from the market and conduct an inspection at check-posts. The results will be sent to the Commissionerate of Food Safety for further action. Inspection at all check-posts will start on Wednesday,” U.V. Unni, deputy director of the Dairy Development Department said.

It is generally felt that the joint operation of the two agencies will effectively curb the sale of substandard milk as the Dairy Development Department has the expertise and infrastructure to check milk quality while the food safety authorities can look after the legal aspects.

“We have been conducting milk quality control drives during the festival season for more than five years. The tendency of selling adulterated milk is on the decline.

The only drawback commonly found is the lack of necessary fat content which can’t be termed as adulteration,” added Unni. However, the department had earlier banned five brands of milk which were found to be adulterated.

In the district, like other places in the state, the supply of milk during festival days will increase by 20 to 25 per cent.

Though Milma, a cooperative entity, is selling about 3.5 lakh litres of milk daily in the Ernakulam region, it is unable to fulfill the need of the region, covering Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam and Thrissur districts.

Meanwhile, the Peoples Dairy Development Project Central Society (PDDP), another major milk supplier in the district, will sell an additional 25,000 to 30,000 litres of milk during the festival days.

According to the food safety authorities, there is no confusion regarding the role of the two agencies in milk checking and there will be intensified inspection during Onam.

Drive to curb sale of adulterated milk

In an effort to curb the sale of substandard milk during the Onam season, the city corporation’s health squad will launch a one week long drive on Thursday. Health standing committee chairman T.K. Ashraf will personally lead the squad.

“During festival days, there will be an intensified inspection of milk samples. We’ll collect samples from the market, including those of Milma, and will send them to government-run laboratories, to identify the presence of harmful substances,” Ashraf said.

According to the Dairy Development Department, there are 316 registered cooperative societies in the district associated with milk procurement.

Earlier, the civic body that had come up with a drive against the sale of adulterated milk in the city in April last year, had failed in continuing the campaign.

Though the health inspectors from the local body collected milk samples and send them for testing, the Regional Analytical Laboratory in Kakkanad failed to give the results on time.

“We have received test findings of one sample which was found to be safe. The laboratory didn’t provide the remaining results saying that the samples were found to be damaged before testing.

We wonder if there is an unholy nexus between the milk producing companies and the lab authorities,” alleged the health committee chairman.