CHINA JAILS 14 FOR PEDDLING TAINTED MILK POWDER

CHINA JAILS 14 PEOPLE IN TAINTED
MILK CASE THAT KILLED SIX CHILDREN

Beijing (Reuters) - Courts in China have jailed 14 people, two of them for life, for selling milk powder tainted with the industrial chemical melamine, state media reported on Friday.  In 2008, at least six children died and nearly 300,000 fell ill from consuming powdered milk laced with melamine, an industrial chemical added to low quality or diluted milk to fool inspectors checking for protein levels.  Despite large-scale recalls and repeated vows to get tough, authorities continue to uncover cases of melamine in milk powder.  In the latest instances, individuals in the northern provinces of Shanxi and Hebei were found guilty of intentionally adulterating milk powder with melamine and passing it off as having met quality inspections, Xinhua news agency said.

In one case, in Hebei, people sold off tainted milk powder which had originally been seized after the 2008 scandal, simply replacing the packaging; in another case, at least 130 tonnes of contaminated milk powder had already found its way onto the market before the authorities swooped, Xinhua said.  China’s food sector has been beset by poisonings and toxin scandals that have shaken consumer confidence. Numerous crackdowns have apparently had little effect.  China said in March at least 20 percent of domestic dairy companies would lose their operating licenses following inspections of fresh milk and infant formula producers.  Three children died this month after drinking nitrate-laden milk in what police judged an intentional poisoning.

Chinese courts have sentenced 14 people to prison terms ranging up to life for producing, selling or adding melamine-tainted milk powder into their products.  The sentences underscore China’s struggle to stop sales of phony or tainted food and medicines despite repeated crackdowns.  Suppliers have added melamine to milk to make watered-down supplies appear to have the correct protein content.  At least six children died and nearly 300,000 others fell ill after drinking melamine-tainted formula in 2008.  Rogue traders, eager to make money, do not care to contaminate powdered milk and endanger the health of millions of infants and children.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?  

In ancient times, king Yudhishthira asked to grandfather Bhisma how there ever came to be a need to have a king.  Bhishma replied: “I will tell you. In the beginning there was no king. There was no punishment. These two were not needed then. Men were all righteous and each man protected the other. As time passed on, however, the hearts of men began to be invaded by errors. Once error enters the heart, the mind gets clouded and the sense of right and wrong begins to wane. It was even so with the men of distant times.  Covetousness was the first guest in their hearts. When covetousness came into life, men began to want things which did not belong to them.  Righteousness was completely lost to the world. ... Brahma assured the gods that he would find a way. He then formulated the rules for chastisement.”

Stephen Knapp (Śrīpad Nandanandana dasa) :
“Purpose and Function of Government According to Mahabharata”
http://www.stephen-knapp.com/purpose_of_government_according_to_mahabharata.htm
http://www.stephen-knapp.com  -  http://www.stephenknapp.info/