In a stark warning highlighting a severe public health emergency, Mohali Deputy Mayor Kuljeet Singh Bedi has written to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, demanding immediate and stringent action against the rampant adulteration of milk and paneer in the city. Bedi has labelled the sale of counterfeit dairy products as a "direct threat to life" that is causing widespread illness and escalating healthcare costs for residents.
A City's Growth Overshadowed by a Toxic Supply
The Deputy Mayor's letter, dated December 17, 2025, draws attention to a dangerous paradox in Mohali. He points out that while the city's population has seen rapid expansion, there has been no corresponding increase in local animal husbandry or genuine milk production. The number of cattle in surrounding villages has, in fact, declined.
"Despite limited availability of real milk, milk- and paneer-based products are being sold freely in every lane and locality. This itself raises serious questions," Bedi stated. He questioned the source of the massive quantities of dairy products flooding the market, noting that the government lacks clear data on this supply chain, and citizens are kept in the dark.
Call for Administrative Overhaul and Strict Penalties
To combat this crisis, Deputy Mayor Bedi has called for urgent administrative reforms. His primary demands include a significant increase in the staff strength of the Food Safety Department and the implementation of monthly, mandatory sampling of milk and paneer across all of Mohali.
He emphasized that the consequences of inaction are already being felt in households. "Those selling fake milk and chemical paneer are playing with human lives. Such cases should not be treated as minor offences; charges as serious as culpable homicide must be considered," Bedi asserted. He highlighted that families, especially those with senior citizens and young children—the most vulnerable groups—are now spending thousands of rupees on medicines instead of nutritious food.
Health and Financial Toll on Citizens
The alarming situation, also highlighted in a recent report tabled in Parliament, underscores that adulteration has moved beyond mere fraud to become a grave health hazard. Bedi warned that the consumption of these chemically-laced products is leading directly to increased sickness. He stressed that safeguarding public health is the government's fundamental duty and urged a policy of zero tolerance and zero delay in dismantling the adulteration network operating in Mohali.
The Deputy Mayor's appeal to the Chief Minister is a clear call to ensure that the people of Mohali have access to safe and pure food, framing the issue not just as a matter of regulation, but as one of fundamental public safety and justice.
