Sanchi, the government run milk federation was supplying chemical laced adulterated milk to its consumers, Indore police claimed after they arrested seven persons involved in the racket in wee hours of Wednesday.
This particular plant supplies 2.5 lakh liters of milk in the entire Malwa-Nimar region everyday and the rest is made into various other products.
Additional superintendent of police (ASP) Manoj Rai said the gang leaders Sukhvinder Singh Deval and his nephew Jaswinder Singh Deval, both from Pipliyarao, had a contract to supply milk to Sanchi in their Manglia factory, which is situated some 15 km from Indore city.
They collected milk from various milk producers but before going to Sanchi factory, they took it to their own godown in Manglia and removed over 2000 to 3000 liters of milk from the 12,000 liter tanker and replaced it with milk made from sodium chloride mixed in water, resealed the tanker and took it to the Sanchi factory. They sold the siphoned off milk in the open market in Dewas and Bagli through private dairies.
But before adulterating the milk, they used to remove a bucket or two of milk from the tanker and gave that as a sample at the factory.
When the police team raided the godown they found a large amount of chemicals and adulterated milk.
“We are investigating the exact magnitude of the adulteration because Sukhvinder had six milk tankers under contract with Sanchi to supply milk and he had been doing so for the past three years. We are verifying the accused’s claim that they had been operating from the godown since last fortnight. Also all the tankers are supposed to be equipped with a global positioning system (GPS) device then how was it possible that tanker’s diversion to a godown was not detected?” the ASP asked hinting that employees working at the centre might also be involved.
The Sanchi management in a damage control exercise after the police action have suspended the lab in charge and his two assistants at the plant. They are also insisting that this was the first time that adulteration had taken place and that too had been stopped by the police.
Sanchi plant chief executive officer AN Dwivedi is still in a denial mode and insisted that normally it was not possible to tamper with Sanchi milk.
“We check the quality of milk at several levels and the all the tankers that collect milk from the collection centres are equipped with GPS device and they are tracked. However, the GPS of this particular tanker was not working since Tuesday 7 pm and it has not beem repaired. We have lodged an FIR against Sukhwinder and blacklisted his firm”, he said.
Doctors say consuming milk laced with sodium chloride might lead to indigestion , gastroenteritis and lead to stomach ulcers if consumed for a long time.
HOW MILK IS SUPPLIED
-Farmers supply milk to various registered milk cooperative centres at the village level
-The milk is collected from these small centres and brought to the bulk milk collection centre
-Milk is taken from these bulk milk collection centres to the Sanchi plant in tankers which are GPS equipped
-All the centres in villages have equipment to test quality of milk and it is also tested at the bulk collection centres and at the plant. The milk is allowed inside the plant only after lab report okays it
