It is further embarrassment for Tamil Nadu Dairy Development Minister KT Rajenthra Bhalaji, a month after he declared that private firms sold adulterated milk, the Central Food Lab in Pune has busted his claims.
According to a ToI report, no toxic ingredients have been found in the milk samples sent by Tamil Nadu to the laboratory. The samples had been sent for testing to the Pune based facility on May 31, after the Minister claimed that privately produced milk contained carcinogenic substances. The final analysis has now reportedly been sent to the state government.
State dairy department officials however, claim they are yet to receive a report. "If there is no toxic ingredient, it doesn't mean there is no adulteration. It only means they did not find any chemicals," an official told ToI.
The lab director, Suhas Bakre too had earlier ruled out the presence of toxic chemicals in a sample that had been tested in 2016. It was a sachet of whole milk produced by a private manufacturer. It had been sent from Erode.
The Minister however, is not ready to back down. On Thursday, he informed the Assembly that the Government had filed 226 cases against adulteration of milk and milk products in the last six year. 137 people, he claimed, have been convicted a total fine of Rs.16.26 lakh levied. He further clarified that his objective is to create awareness among people about health hazards of adulteration and not to target private companies.