Warning of conspiracy to damage indigenous products

Mawbima Lanka Foundation Director Dr. Vasantha Bandara warned of a conspiracy to damage indigenous products behind the recent melamine contaminated milk food issue and requested the Government to appoint a special committee to probe this aspect soon.

Dr. Bandara said there are signs of a conspiracy to harm local production by over highlighting the melamine issue.

The high degree of alarm and concern shown over melamine was not seen when much bigger food poisoning issues cropped up during the 1980 chernobyl nuclear plant disaster or the 1990 mad cow disease epidemic which spread throughout the world Dr. Bandara said.

Although the melamine issue cropped up over milk food there had been an indecent hurry to examine local products like chocolates and biscuits leaving behind milk food. This led to increased suspicion about a conspiracy to harm local products, he said.

Dr. Bandara said this situation had caused a stigma and great damage to the local chocolate and biscuit industries and the Government should immediately step into clear it.