The Central Government on Wednesday (13 November 2024) informed the Karnataka High Court that it has directed the State Government to allow private companies to collect, process and trade breast milk. Cancel the license given. This order has come in response to a public interest litigation. This petition was filed on behalf of a person named Mungowda. In this petition, concern has been expressed by multinational companies over earning profits from breast milk trade.
The Union AYUSH Ministry directed the Karnataka government to cancel licenses that allow collection, processing and sale of breast milk. Some licenses previously issued under Ayurvedic practices have now been cancelled.
Centre's side in the hearing
In the Karnataka High Court, Additional Solicitor General Arvind Kamat, appearing for the Centre, said before a bench of Chief Justice NV Anjaria and Justice KV Arvind that the Center has directed the state to cancel all such licenses. Some companies had obtained these licenses under Ayurvedic standards. But now after the intervention of the Centre, the state has canceled some licenses. A company has challenged the cancellation of its license in the High Court.
Next hearing on December 4
The High Court bench has fixed the next hearing of this case on December 4. The court has directed Mungowda to make the Ministry of AYUSH a party in this case. Mungowda's lawyer B Visvesvaraya argued in the court that the prices of packaged breast milk are extremely high. He gave the example that a 50 ml bottle is being sold for Rs 1,239, while a 10 gram powder packet is available for Rs 313. The central government argues that commercial use of breast milk is not allowed under the current rules.
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