Mumbai, July 14: Police and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have unearthed a huge network of fake or fake milk in Maharashtra’s Dharashiv district. Shocking information has emerged from the investigation that more than 2.3 crore litres of fake milk have been supplied across the state in the last 6 months.
The documents and materials seized during the raids conducted by the authorities in Bhum taluk of Dharashiv district have shocked the investigators. The accused were using some dangerous substances to make it look like genuine milk and increase the fat content in the milk.
These are Nirma detergent powder (laundry soap powder), palm oil, low-quality chemical powder, poor-quality milk powder. In the last 6 months alone, they had produced 23,04,070 litres of fake milk worth Rs 9.21 crore using around 2,30,470 kg of substandard milk powder.
According to the officials, based on the documents recovered during the raid, around 2.3 lakh kg of substandard milk powder was used to prepare this fake milk in the last 6 months. With the help of this powder and chemicals, around 23.04 lakh litres of fake milk were directly produced. The estimated market value of this fake milk is estimated to be more than Rs 9.21 crore.
How did 2.3 crore litres of milk reach the market?:
The accused were not selling the fake milk directly. Instead, they were mixing 10 litres of fake milk (in the ratio of 10 per cent) for every 100 litres of genuine milk before supplying it to the dairies. Since this artificial milk was mixed with genuine milk, the total amount of adulterated milk has reached the homes of consumers to more than 2.3 crore liters.
The police have registered a case against seven people under strict legal sections in this case. However, even after a week since the FIR was registered, all the accused are absconding. The police have formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to find the accused. Under the Indian Food Safety Act, if found guilty of engaging in food adulteration that can endanger life, the law allows a maximum fine of Rs 10 lakh and life imprisonment.
Who is this IAS officer?:
Currently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is conducting a very tough operation against milk adulteration and violators in Maharashtra. This huge movement is being led by an efficient IAS officer from Maharashtra, Tukaram Munde. IAS officer Tukaram Munde took charge as the Maharashtra FDA Commissioner on May 25.
He launched a crackdown on food adulteration from the very first day he took charge. He issued orders for strict implementation of food safety norms across the entire milk supply chain, including dairies, transporters, distributors, wholesalers and retailers.