Gurgaon’s neighbouring Nuh siezes 7,600 kg ‘fake’ paneer: How it entered Delhi-NCR supply chain

On September 10, Dr Vikas Jaglan, newly appointed Food Safety Officer (FSO) of Nuh, initiated a joint raid with the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) and district administration. The operation targeted three dairy units in Punhana, which were found to be producing and distributing counterfeit dairy products, including paneer, to the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR).

Upon taking charge, Jaglan discovered that two of the operators had left the village, leaving the remaining staff to face the consequences of their illegal activities. The raid resulted in the seizure of 7,600 kg of fake dairy products, accounting for nearly all of the approximately 8,000 kg of adulterated dairy products seized in the district over the past three weeks.

In response to the crackdown, the Haryana Food and Drugs Administration issued a statewide ban on the manufacture, storage, distribution, and sale of analogue or non-dairy paneer on August 17. The ban, which will remain in effect for one year, was published in the Haryana Government Gazette on August 21. During the raid, food safety officials also uncovered hazardous industrial-grade chemicals, including fluorescent dyes and sodium thiosulphate, commonly used in the textile industry.

These chemicals, known as "rang kaat," are typically used to bleach and whiten clothes but pose significant health risks when ingested. The makeshift dairy units, located near an established Dairy Best manufacturing facility, were operated by individuals from outside the district and had been rented, according to local resident Mohd Haneef.

The synthetic dairy produced in these units was primarily intended for urban consumption across the NCR. The three sealed units represent a small fraction of the illicit dairy operations in the region, with estimates suggesting that between 20-40 registered dairies and up to 70-80 illicit dairies operate in the district. Jaglan emphasized that the crackdown was not limited to analogue paneer, as adulteration was also found in other dairy products, such as rasgullas.

The enforcement drive is coordinated by the district administration, bringing together the FDA, local civil authorities, and the Haryana Police for operations. The drive also aims to address the wider concerns over dairy adulteration in Haryana, with 200 out of 285 samples collected from April 2025 to March 2026 failing laboratory analysis.