CUTTACK: After substandard and fake food products, instances of adulterated cattle feed being manufactured and marketed have come to fore in Cuttack district. In the absence of monitoring by the officials concerned, the accused are continuing the illegal business unabated.
Those involved in the racket mix the cattle feed with rice husk and khadi pathar (chalk stone) powder. They are then packed and released into the open markets. While genuine cattle feed offers balanced nutrition, the adulterated one offers no nutrition and instead, poses threat to cattle health.
Dairy farm owner Atal Bihar Das said he had bought a 50 kg ‘chakada’ bag from Adaspur market for Rs 1,150. When he weighed the bag, he found it contained 48 kg cattle feed which was only adulterated with rice husk and chalk stone powder. When Das brought the matter to the notice of Kantapada block veterinary officer Dr Jitendra Narayan Maharana, the latter said he had received no instruction from the government to crack down on the racket.
Food safety officer, Cuttack (Rural) Rakesh Sahu said he has no authority to act against cattle feed adulteration. Chief district veterinary officer Madhu Sudan Subudhi said he has not yet received any allegations of adulteration of cattle feed in the district. If complaints are received, a special squad will be formed to conduct raids and collect samples of the cattle feed which will then be sent to a laboratory for examination, he said.