Lok Sabha Debates
Need To Check Adulteration Of Milk And Other Food Items. on 6 August, 2015
Sixteenth Loksabha an> Title: Need to check adulteration of milk and other food items.
SHRI RABINDRA KUMAR JENA (BALASORE): Sir, I would like to raise the concern of adulteration in food articles especially milk. While products like Maggi are under the scanner, it is worrying that some of the most adulterated food items in India are actually water, milk and edible oil. A survey conducted in 2012-13 by FSSAI found that milk is the most adulterated food item in India, with 68.4 per cent of nation-wide milk adulteration. Milk Adulteration in India is an even bigger concern because unlike packaged fast food, milk is not just a necessity, but is also consumed by most of the population in unpackaged form.
I urge upon the Government to ensure that Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) sets up a body to conduct nation-wide check on milk adulteration and ensure regular testing of unpacked food items. The Supreme Court has also directed in November 2014 to amend the Food Safety and Standards Act and increase the penalty for milk adulteration from six months to life imprisonment. The States of Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Odisha have already legislated in this direction, but this amendment has not yet been passed by the Centre. I urge you to do this immediately. Over 70 per cent of deaths in India are associated with food and water borne diseases and this menace must be curbed.