Milkfed marks probe into underweight desi ghee tins to Golden Temple kitchen

GS Paul

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Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 22

Punjab milk products supplier Milkfed has marked an inquiry into the alleged supply of underweight ‘desi ghee’ tins to the SGPC meant to be used in preparations at the Golden Temple kitchen.

Confirming this, the Milkfed MD Kamaldeep Singh Sangha said, “There could be some error in the weighing system as the filling process is done automated. I have marked the inquiry to know the reason and directed the staff to be cautious,” he said.

Manager of Sri Guru Ram Dass Langar Hall at Golden Temple Manjinder Singh Mand said some of the tins that were received on November 2 were found to be underweight and the matter was brought to the notice of higher-up SGPC officials.

“Each tin of desi ghee weighs 15 kg net. We receive the items only after weighing it here. Some of the tins weighed between 1 kg and 1.25 kg less of desi ghee. But the payment was made as per the weight of the material and all documents were submitted with the higher officials,” he said.

Milkfed General Manager (marketing) JK Gupta said a consignment of 600 tins (weighing 15 kg each) was supplied to the SGPC at Golden Temple that weight around 9 metric tonnes of desi ghee. “The weight discrepancy was detected in 40 tins. Since every consignment is accepted only after it was weighed again at the delivery spot, we received the payment accordingly and there was no mismatch in charged sum and the quantity supplied,” he said.

Gupta said between 65 and 70 metric tonnes of desi ghee was supplied to the SGPC per month. On an average one lakh visitors pay obeisance at the Golden Temple and around 60,000 partake of langar daily. On an average, Rs 2.5 to Rs 3 crore is spent per month on key items like desi ghee, dry and fresh milk.

The SGPC follows the open tendering process for supply of dietary items exclusively from the co-operative societies for supply of desi ghee, milk powder and fresh milk, cheese and curd for its three major shrines. Former Congress leader Mandeep Singh Manna, who raised the issue of less supply, alleged that the SGPC had been adopting biased attitude towards Milkfed whereas there were other dairy cooperative societies which were ready to supply dairy products on much less rates. “Some SGPC’s top brass officials adopt favouritism while hiring dairy firms for supply of desi ghee and milk at exorbitant rates,” he said.