The Dairy Development department will set up a milk testing laboratory at Walayar border check-post near here in view of Onam celebrations. The milk testing lab will function round-the-clock from September 3 to 7.
A. Prabhakaran, MLA, will inaugurate the enhanced milk testing programme of the Dairy Development department at Walayar on Saturday morning. Officials said that vigil against the inflow of adulterated and poor quality milk was maintained especially in view of Onam celebrations.
The demand for milk is likely to increase at least three times during Onam, and the inflow of milk from Tamil Nadu will also increase accordingly as the Kerala Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (Milma) cannot meet the demand.
Two weeks ago, the Dairy Development department had stopped a tanker carrying adulterated milk at Meenakshipuram check-post and sent it back to Tamil Nadu.
Department officials said that the quality control laboratory functioning at the Civil Station here would facilitate free quality testing of milk during Onam celebrations.
The department will open a district information centre at its quality control lab at the Civil Station. The information centre will be functional from September 3 to 7 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
The officials on duty at the information centre will collect samples of all milk available in the market and ensure their quality and safety. If the milk is found unsafe or of poor quality, the Food Safety department will seize it and initiate action.
The public and the dairy farmers can get their milk tested for its quality at the department lab free of cost.
