HYDERABAD: Next time you think of buying cow ghee for special occasions and more so from Monda Market in Secunderabad, please think twice.

What is being sold as cow ghee till recently is nothing but plain vanaspathi (`dalda') with colour additives added.

Health and sanitation staff of the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad (MCH) caught those allegedly indulging in selling such adulterated stuff in the act and booked cases against them.

In fact, Additional Commissioner Vandan Kumar and his staff posed as customers to bust the racket during the surprise raid on Tuesday. They went to Hanumatha Rao Pachari shop in Monda Market and sought to buy five kg of cow ghee for a religious purpose.

The merchant offered the same at Rs. 80 per kg when the prevailing market rate was Rs. 150 to Rs. 160 a kg. On payment of Rs. 400 to the shopkeeper, a health inspector followed the shop worker to `Chapala Bhavi' nearby where the adulterated and fake stuff was being made and stored.

Twenty other shops in the vicinity were found to be selling the material.

Samples sent to lab

"We conducted a surprise check based on a complaint. We also suspect animal fats are being mixed with colours and sold as cow ghee. These shops are running illegally without any trade licence and without paying any tax," said Mr. Vandan Kumar. Samples were collected from all shops and sent for laboratory tests. Businessmen found guilty would face severe punishment.

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