LAHORE: With the production and sale of substandard milk reaching a new high across the city, the Punjab Food Authority (PFA) too appears to be helpless while failing to put an end to the practice of the milkmen, who are putting the lives of thousands at risk.
According to official sources of the food department, there is a dire need to prevent open milk from being distributed as its ingredients are extremely hazardous to human health. The milk, millions of litres of which are being consumed by the people on a daily basis contains ingredients including shampoo, urea fertiliser and cooking, the sources told.
Even though the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) has ordered an immediate crackdown against those involved in injecting farm animals with drugs to boost milk production, and directed that a drug inspector should raid the markets to confiscate such steroids from the people – as a result of which 39 packs of the drug were seized by the authorities – the sale and purchase of the injections, is still being openly carried out due to the collusion of a few concerned officials.
Similarly, the sale of substandard milk is also being carried out with ease in the Rehmanpura, Javaid Market, Icchra, Harbanspura, Mughalpura, Muslim Town, Misri Shah, Garhi Shahu, Alhamd Colony, Iqbal Town, Nargis Block and Chungi areas of the city, to name a few.
In a number of areas of the city, substandard milk is sold while attracting the customers with offers such as that of providing them with an additional litre of milk for free. The question that arises here is that how can an additional litre of milk be offered to a customer if he or she purchases a litre of milk and that too for Rs50, while other milk shops are selling milk at Rs100 per litre.
Saying that the authorities are doing nothing to initiate a crackdown against such people who play with the lives of the citizens, Adnan, a resident of Rehmanpura said that such unbelievable offers are a common practice in the area. Speaking to Pakistan Today, he told how he once bought cheap milk from a nearby shop, which started to stink when boiled.
“I took it back to the shop from where I purchased it and complained to the shopkeeper. Instead of accepting that he sells substandard open milk, he said that ‘probably the pot you boiled it in wasn’t washed properly’,” said Adnan.
He appealed to the PFA to take an action against those involved in such activities so that the people can at least be provided with fresh and pure dairy.
PFA DG Noorul Amin Mengal was reached for a comment, but he was unavailable.