The Karnataka government will crack down on bulk supply of adulterated and spurious milk from neighbouring Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, within a week.
House leader V. Somanna on Friday assured the Legislative Council that the government will hold a high-level meeting of officials from Karnataka Milk Federation, departments of Health, Food and Civil Supplies, police and Urban Development discuss steps to prevent the supply and sale of lakhs of litres of cheaper milk, which is also of inferior quality.
Earlier, Health and Family Welfare minister Arvind Limbavali informed the House that every day, 7.35 lakh litres of milk is supplied to Bengaluru from other states, of which 6.5 lakh litres is packed milk and the remaining is sold loose.
“The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and its Rules, are in force to check adulteration. We are collecting food samples, including milk, for testing and in case of adulteration, poor quality or misbranding, cases are being booked. We are in the process of appointing 612 food inspectors to strengthen the department,” said Mr Limbavali.
Council member Mr M.C. Nanaiah suggested that co-ordinated efforts by all departments could put an end to milk adulteration in the city. “The KMF produces 41 lakh litres of milk every day, but nearly 11 lakh litres remains unutilized. The milk coming in from other states is a health hazard,” he warned.
On March 26, Kalasipalya police seized 10,000 litres of spurious milk being sold in South Bengaluru.
Hanumanthanagar corporator K. Chandrashekar had said in the council that milk adulterated with chemicals is brought from Erode and sold in South Bengaluru.
Following this, BBMP had slapped a show-cause notice on the Chief Health Officer (CHO) Dr K.E. Manjula and suspended four food inspectors - Naganna, Mallikarjun, Udaykumar and Ataulla Khan - on charges of dereliction of duty. Tight vigil is being maintained against sale of spurious milk, said sources in the BBMP