George Orwell says, “Man is the only creature that consumes without producing. He does not give milk, he does not lay eggs, he is too weak to pull the plough, he cannot run fast enough to catch rabbits. Yet he is lord of all the animals.” However, the milkmen in Punjab have started giving milk which is as poisonous as their thoughts are. The Supreme Court has taken a suo motu notice over sale of adulterated milk and other adulterated eatable or potables. The August Court sought detailed report from the Punjab government. The Watan Party filed an appeal in the Supreme Court and the two-member bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and Justice Iqbal Hameed-ur-Rehman heard the appeal filed by Watan Party. Nonetheless, the bench transformed it into a suo motu notice owing to significance of the matter. In 2009 LHC also took notice on adulteration of milk. City District Government Food Department collected the data during last five years and found that 80 per cent packed and unpacked milk is adulterated with things dangerous to health. Milk production is part of Livestock sector. Livestock's role is pivotal towards rural socio economic development. During 2015-16, Livestock contributed approximately 58.6 percent to the agriculture value added and 11.6 percent to the overall GDP. More than 8 million families earn their livelihood from livestock. They derive more than 35 percent income from livestock production activities. Gross value addition of livestock at constant cost factor of 2005-06 has increased from Rs. 1247 billion (2014-15) to Rs. 1292 billion (2015-16), showing an increase of 3.63 percent over the same period last year. It is central to the livelihood of the rural poor in the country. It is a source of cash income, providing a vital and often the only source of income for the rural and most marginal people. It can play an important role in poverty alleviation and foreign exchange earnings for the country.
