Collection centres fined for unhygienic condition in Pabna
Mobile teams led by UNOs and health experts collected samples of milk from collection centres of Pran, Brac and Akiz brands at different places in Pabna yesterday and fined a few centres for unhygienic condition.
Sources say that the samples would be sent to the capital for tests.
Meanwhile, supply of milk dropped after a Bangla daily ran a report Friday on the production of spurious milk in Pabna and Sirajganj. Shajadpur police in Sirajganj arrested five people Friday night in connection with making spurious milk and seized a huge quantity of spurious milk.
"It is true that some people are making spurious milk. We are trying to identify them," said Upazila Health Officer (UNO) of Faridpur, Pabna, Khalilur Rahman. "We collected samples from Brac and Pran milk collection centres in Demra of Faridpur upazila today [Saturday]," he said.
Another mobile team led by Santhia UNO Abdur Razzak visited several collection centres in Santhia and Bera upazilas yesterday. The team collected samples and fined Pran, Brac and Akiz milk collection centres there for unhygienic condition.
"We fined a few centres Tk 5,000-6,000 for unhygienic condition," Monsurul Islam, Santhia upazila health officer, told The Daily Star.
He said they also went to some local milk producers and took samples of their milk for testing. They fined trader Bipul and Helal Tk 30,000 and Tk 25,000 for processing milk in unhygienic conditions.
Meanwhile, Officer-in-charge of Bera Police Station Md Moriuzzaman said they picked up two people for questioning about the production of spurious milk in the area. They were later released.
Brac, Pran and other milk collection centres yesterday refused to buy milk from many sellers as their milk was questionable. The manager of a Pran milk collection centre said they turned down milk from one seller as his milk had traces of sodium.
"When a supplier comes to us, we test the milk and then buy it. Without testing we do not collect milk. So we can never collect spurious milk," said Sarif Uddin Tarafdar, manager of a Pran milk collection centre.
Arabinda Babu, manager of a Brac milk collection centre in Bera, told The Daily Star, "We did not know that spurious milk is produced this way. Since we test milk before collecting our milk is safe."
Both officers claimed a number of local influential people often try to intimidate them into buying not-so-pure milk.
A number of milk producers were found processing milk in unhygienic conditions violating health codes when The Daily Star correspondent went on a visit to different areas in the district.
"Using cutting oil, sodium and other essences some people are producing spurious milk from the water that remains when the milk is curdled," said a milk trader seeking anonymity.
Sources say that such practices have been continuing in Sarisha, Karamja and Sonatola villages of Santhia upazila, Pachakola, Haturia and Nakalia villages in Bera upazila for a long time.
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