None of us are
ignorant of the fact
that milk supplied by the neighbourhood milkmen is far from pure. However, with perennial shortage of quality milk, we are left with no choice but to ignore the effects of adulteration in the vital drink.
With government control restricted to the state run dairy farms, the private milkmen have a free run in the trade. What is more concerning is the fact that the quality is no different in the state run dairies as a recent national survey conducted on milk adulteration by the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) found that 96 per cent of milk samples from Meghalaya were either diluted with water or mixed with harmful detergents.
Concerned over the deteriorating quality, an increasing number of residents from various neighborhoods in the city have complained about the “water like” milk which is supplied here.
A housewife from Bhagyakool said, “Milk is an important ingredient for alomost every household and it is important regulate things to ensure quality in it.”
A resident of Fruit Garden said that the quality of milk is same all over the city. “I have tried half a dozen milkmen. For the first few days they maintain quality but it goes back to square one with time,” she said. Echoing her, a mother of two school going children complained, “We have to pay almost Rs30 for a litre of so-called milk only to be provided with what can be termed as coloured water.
The DC, East Khasi Hills District said that the government has no control mechanism over the private milkmen in the state. “Sadly, we don’t have any control over these issues but the Veterinary Department or even the District Food Inspectors can take action on such issues,” he said. When contacted, Dr L Lyngwa, Director, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department said that these milkmen are commissioned agents and are controlled by his department. “If anybody has any complaint than let them come to us and we will see that every possible action is taken against them,” he said.
Meanwhile, many residents suggested that the government set up stalls in the city to sell its brand of pasteurized/cream milk as seen in other parts of the country. But with adulteration reports surfacing from the state run dairies, this hardly seems to be an option.
The State at present produces 80,000 tonnes of milk which is expected to increase by 2,000 tonnes every year.
The ideal solution under the circumstances would be to set up testing units around the city and regulate better monitoring methods for producing milk that would be safe and ideal for consumption. (Rajib Roy)
