Separate law in the state for stringent action against milk adulterers- Chief Minister Mr. Eknath Shinde

“Would recommend the Centre for making adulteration non-bailable offence”

Mumbai :- In order to curb the adulteration of milk and milk products a separate law that will be more stringent than MPDA is required to be made in the state. Similarly, the union government will recommend making the offence of adulteration of food item as a non- bailable offence, said chief minister Mr.Eknath Shinde here, today. He further directed the Food and Drugs Administration department and the dairy development department to start an effective joint operation for initiating strict action against the adulteration of milk in the state.

Chief Minister Mr. Shinde was speaking at a joint meeting related to implementation of V Ramani pattern for increasing the quality of primary school education in the state and the adulteration of milk and dairy products.

School education minister Deepak Kesarkar, food and drugs administration minister Dharmarao Baba Atram, former legislator Suresh Dhas, additional chief secretary of the chief minister Dr I S Chahal, additional chief secretary of dairy development department Rajesh Kumar, principal secretary of the chief minister Vikas Kharge, secretary of foods and drugs administration Dinesh Waghmare, secretary of school education department Ranjit Singh Deol, education commissioner Suraj Mandhare and officers of Central FSSAI were present during the meeting.

Speaking further, chief minister Mr. Shinde said that adulteration of food items is a serious offence and it has adverse effect on the health of the children. He said that due to this adulteration, the future generation will be at loss and many people fall into the clutches of killer diseases like cancer and hence action against the adulterers should be stricter than MPDA. He said that the union machinery and the teams of the state government should take efforts for effective action against those who are responsible for adulterating the food items, milk and dairy products. Assuring that the infrastructure facilities and human resources will be made available to both the departments for this action, he said that follow- up will be made with the union government in concern with well- equipped modern laboratories, equipment and mobile laboratories.

Expressing concern, the chief minister said that on one hand the milk producing farmers suffer a lot because of milk adulteration and on the other hand far- reaching effects are seen on the health of the citizens which is a matter of concern. He said that the food and drugs administration department and dairy development department should start joint operations in this regard as it is desperately needed. He asked both the departments to plan a joint campaign as an emergency measure, adding that the home department will also co-operate with them. He directed the dairy development department to initiate steps for making a separate law for milk adulteration in the state.
Expressing his views on the occasion, former legislator Dhas said that due to a handful of anti- social elements engaging in adulteration of milk and milk products, the widespread effects are seen on milk selling and it is badly affected, adding that ultimately, the milk producing farmers have to face huge losses.

Efforts for increasing quality of school education

The meeting also discussed implementation of V. Ramani pattern for boosting the quality of primary schools of the state. It was informed that for increasing the quality of school education in the state, the school education department is taking the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) and various other measures at different levels. The chief minister also directed to implement the pattern that was once enforced by then commissioner of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar V Ramani. He said that along with the Zilla Parishad schools, the pattern will also be implemented in Municipal Corporation schools of the state and asked the administration to make preparations in this direction.