Days after lok Insaaf Party MlA Simarjeet Singh Bains blew the whistle on milk quality at Verka milk plant at ludhiana, the separate teams of Punjab Vigilance Bureau on Wednesday raided all the milk plants across the state simultaneously.
During the raid, conducted on the orders of DGP Vigilance BK Uppal, the teams have seized all the records of the milk plants. Besides, the teams are also checking all aspects right from milk fat in the Verka milk to the inspection of its laboratories.
Sources informed The Pioneer that other than checking the quality of milk and milk products, the teams are also examining the vehicles carrying milk, weighing scales, among other things.
Even as none of the official is ready to share much information regarding the raids, it has been learnt that two IG-level officers are heading the teams.
Even as the doctors from the Vigilance Departments are accompanying the teams, the VB has also included representatives of the three departments — Cooperation, Dairy Development, and Health — on the directions of the Punjab Government.
At the time of filing the report, the raid was underway.
Bains, who was booked “for obstructing government work” by forcefully entering the ludhiana milk plant, had alleged that a ‘scam’ of Rs 200 crore is going on at Milkfed run Verka milk plants.
He had claimed that he conducted a ‘sting operation’ and tested milk samples in Verka’s own laboratory, and alleged that Verka is charging Rs five to six extra per packet from consumers in the name of fat content whereas the milk being sold is of less fat content.
Bains, alleging that the practice is taking place at every Verka milk plant in Punjab not only ludhiana, had maintained that after getting milk from Verka’s packet checked from the Verka milk plant’s laboratory itself, the fat contents of the milk was 4.1 percent whereas SNF (solid not fat) was eight percent but the rate was being levied for 4.5 percent fat and 8.5 percent SNF.