The Nilgiris: The Tea Board of India seized 40 tonnes of tea powder worth Rs. 32 lakhs from a tea company that has been adulterating its tea produce with a red-coloured chemical, in Ooty and Coonoor.
The Nilgiris: The Tea Board of India seized 40 tonnes of tea powder worth Rs. 32 lakhs from a tea company that has been adulterating its tea produce with a red-coloured chemical, in Ooty and Coonoor. Steps have also been taken to cancel the license of the factory.
Based on a tip-off that the M.G Tea manufacturing company adulterates its tea with the red-chemical powder, Tea Board officers based on the order by Balraj, the Executive Director of Tea Board conducted a sudden inspection in the factory last night.
In the tea powder manufacturing segment, two barrels of the adulterated tea with red chemicals were found. The owner of the factory, Sadiq Seth and his employees fled on seeing the officials who had arrived for inspection.
Food inspectors were then called to conduct the inspection together and found 8 tonnes of mixed tea powder. Later on, it was found that 32 tonnes of adulterated tea powder was also stocked in the company's Coonoor godown.
On further investigation, it was found that the famous 'Highfield' private factory which had been closed for the past six months was used for stocking the tea powder sacks, on a contract basis. The factory has now been sealed. "About 40 tonnes of adulterated tea powder was seized and will be destroyed. Steps have been taken to cancel the license of the tea factory," said Balraj, the Executive Director of Tea Board.