In connection with its crackdown on food and other adulterating units, the District Administration of Gwalior on Thursday busted a bogus cement manufacturing unit at the Shankarpur area of the city. According to sources in the District Administration the unit has been in operation for several years. On getting a tip-off, a special team under SDM Pradeep Tomar raided the unit and conducted a search operation. The team confiscated more than 500 sacks of adulterated cement packed in the bags of reputed cement companies like Ambuja Cement, ACC Cements, Birla cements etc.
The unit is allegedly run by one Vishnu Rathore who has another cement manufacturing unit at Golpahadia.
According to sources in the DA fake cement of reputed brands like Ambuja and Birla is being produced by mixing raw materials like marble dust and artificial colours. It was also learnt that the factory owner used to buy spoiled cement and change it to seemingly fresh cement by mixing colours and marble dust.
Talking to media persons, SDM, Pradeep Tomar said that the factory has been sealed and investigation is on to ascertain various facts like, since when has it been operational, the source of raw materials and the outlets and retailers were the cement was supplied. It is also being investigated whether the owner of the unit, Rathore is part of a larger racket engaged in the manufacturing of adulterated cement.