Around 80 percent of fresh milk is supplied from inside and outside of the capital to hundreds of tea stalls and hotels which is toxic as was found in an investigation by various stakeholders.
After the launching of the Pakistan Citizens Portal by Prime Minister Imran Khan, citizens across the capital have complained about the fresh milk of Islamabad. Taking action on the mentioned complaints by the food department, assigned to the Citizens Portal, the Food Department collected samples from various dairy farms and sent it for medical examination to the National Health Institute (NIH).
An official of the food department wishing anonymity told Daily Times that the food department in its raid on different dairy farms found that the situation inside those dairy farms were disastrous as there was no mechanism for cleanliness and maintenance inside the farms and they were preparing the milk in a toxic environment. He added that on the spot, the Food Department officials fined the dairy farm owners worth Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000 and further action will be taken by the authorities after the medical examination results of the mentioned milk sample sent to NIH.
A source in the NIH told Daily Times that milk samples sent by the Food Department to our laboratories were processed from various medical techniques to identify the quality. He lamented on the fresh milk situation in the capital and told Daily Times that the sample was not only below standard but was toxic as well, infested with chemicals and other expired products. He added that the entire samples sent by the Food Department did not fulfil the Punjab Food Ordinance requirements.
He added that the fats ratio required for quality milk is minimum 5 percent but the ratio in all milk samples were below 3 percent which means that it was toxic for health. Total ratio of solids necessary for quality milk is minimal 14 percent but less than 8 percent solids were found in that milk.
Daily Times obtained information from more than 90 tea stalls as well as from hotels in which 82 percent of vendors responded that they were using the milk supplied from G-9, Abpara, Bara Kahu and Sargodha which are toxic according to the results of the NIH.
A source in dairy farms said, while talking exclusively to Daily Times, “I’m working in this dairy farm for a year now and personally I’ve observed more than 30 raids taking place, but it has never been sealed.”
Published in Daily Times, December 5th 2018.