Srinagar, Jan 12:  More than 80 per cent of milk produced in Jammu and Kashmir contains adulterants, a survey by Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has revealed.
 The study in which 18 samples were picked up  from  different parts of the state for testing by the  FSSAI, 15 were contaminated with glucose and Skim Milk Powder (SMP), with only remaining  three  conforming  to the standards set up by the central food  regulating agency. Out of the failed samples, two were taken from rural areas and 13 were taken from the urban areas of the state.     
 Pertinently, National Survey on Milk Adulteration (snap shot survey) was conducted by the FSSAI to ascertain the quality of milk and identify different type of adulterations in the liquid milk throughout the country. After collecting the samples randomly , these were sent to the  government laboratories--- Department of Food  and Drug testing Government of  Puducherry, Central  Food  Laboratory  Pune, Food  Research and  Standardization  Laboratory  Ghaziabad,  State Public Health Laboratory, Guwahati and  Central Food Laboratory  Kolkata----for testing .  After the findings of the survey were made public it created a furore across India but Jammu and Kashmir government seems to be in oblivion vis-a-vis revelations of the survey. 
 “The government has not uttered even a single word over the findings during the past ten days. Even most of the concerned agencies dealing with checking adulteration are in deep slumber.  They should delve deep why 83 percent milk from the state failed the tests. If Delhi government clarified why our state is silent over the issue,” said Nazir Ahmad Mir, a resident of old city.
 “There should have been proper follow up action from the state government on the report.  And the erring dairy milk providers and cooperative societies whose samples were found adulterated should have been taken to task,” he added.
 Pertinently, Kashmir Valley alone produces 11.32 lakh tones of milk annually.
 When contacted, Commissioner Food Safety Jammu and Kashmir Satish Gupta said they are looking into the report of the central agency. “I will direct food inspectors to collect the samples in their areas forthwith to find if sub standard milk is supplied to the consumers,” he said.
 Chief Executive Officer FSSAI V K Gaur told Greater Kashmir over phone from New Delhi that majority of the samples from JK didn’t fit to the quality parameters of milk set up by them.
 When asked about glucose and SMP found in the samples taken from JK, Gaur said, “It is being done to reduce the effect of water and if water used is contaminated it can prove deadly.”
 The CEO said failure to comply with their parameters is violation of law but nobody can be prosecuted on basis of their report as “It is only for survey purposes.”
 He added that state government should increase surveillance to contain adulteration of milk and educate consumers as well as milk vendors.
 Director Animal Husbandry Kashmir Dr Farooq Ahmad Kaloo said, “An overwhelming majority of milk producers of the state don’t even know about the harmful chemicals which are added elsewhere in the country to the milk,” he said.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 12 Jan 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:00:00 IST