Spurious milk products flood Diwali market

In the backdrop of the ongoing festive season, the business of manufacturing and supplying synthetic milk and milk products to the city dwellers and even to the neighbouring states is growing by the day. The manufacturers are minting millions by endangering the health and life of citizens, as the racket continues to flourish despite a number of raids by the health officials.

According to an estimate, at least 100,000 litres of synthetic milk and 30 tonnes of thickened milk (khoya) is being manufactured everyday in the city. The racketeers use refined oil, white poster colours, some milk, caustic soda and formalin as solvent to manufacture the poisonous ‘milk’. They also use low quality refined oil, wheat flour, rice bran and chemical colours to lend an attractive look to the products.

According to medical officers, over 17 people indulging in the illegal manufacture were arrested and imprisoned while the search for further culprits was still on.