Milk adulteration should be punished by life imprisonment: SC

The Supreme Court today favoured punishment of life imprisonment to people indulging in production and marketing of adulterated milk and asked the state governments to make amendment in laws.
A bench of Justices K S Radhakrishnan and A K Sikri said punishment of six months jail term mentioned in Food Safety Act is grossly inadequate and asked states to amend the law as has been done by the Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Odisha.
The bench was hearing Public-Interest Litigations seeking its direction to state governments to stop practice of milk adulteration which is rampant in various states.
Advocate Anurag Tomar, appearing for the petitioners, contended that milk contaminated with synthetic material is being sold in various states particularly in northern states posing serious threat to the life and health of the consumers.

He submitted that samples collected by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India in 2011 revealed large-scale sale of adulterated milk across the country.
The bench, after hearing his submission, asked the states to make punishment harsher for such offence and sought response from the states on what action they are taking to control and eliminate the menace of adulterated milk in the country.
It posted the case for further hearing on January 13.