The Maharashtra government is promising to bring law for the adulteration of milk a non-bailable offence, with a punishment of up to three years in jail.
Addressing the legislative assembly, state food, civil supplies and consumer protection, food and drug administration and parliamentary affairs minister Girish Bapat said that there will be no scope for those sentenced to a three-year prison term to obtain bail.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) Ameet Satam said, “Milk adulteration is taking place on a very large scale. According to reports, various substances, such as detergent, toxic soda, starch, fat and contaminated water are being used for the purpose.”
Satam and a few other members of the House demanded that life imprisonment be awarded to those found indulging in it.
Bapat said, “Currently, adulteration of milk is a bailable offence with a prison term of upto six months.” This will declare the malpractice a non-bailable offence and the term in prison will be upto three years.
“The state has four mobile testing vans for the testing of milk, but the random checks are being conducted properly,” he said, adding that the concerned authorities were looking into the matter.
Assuring that there would be regular and surprise checks, Bapat said there was a manpower crunch issue in the state, but added that the vacancies had been filled.