If you live in Delhi, chances are that you are drinking more DDT and other pesticides with your milk than is good for you. A survey conducted by the Karnal-based National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) in the Capital has revealed that the pesticide contamination in milk supplied by the Delhi Milk Scheme (DMS) runs far above safety standards set by the World Health Organisation.

According to NDRI scientists R S Singh and Prakash Mohanty, the survey revealed the presence of 0.50 and 1.01 ppm (parts per million) of DDT in DMS's bottled and powder milk respectively. This is higher than the maximum levels of 0.05 and 0.01 ppm recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Health Organisation. Another pesticide, lindane, was found -- at 0.37 ppm -- to be soaring much above the safe 0.01 ppm.

An all-India survey conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research has also established that residues of chemicals and pesticides in milk and milk products have crossed safe limits. Laxmi Narain Modi of the Bharatiya Cattle Resource Development Foundation affirms ominously, "There is no one to regulate supply of wholesome milk in the country."