The legal action stems from a $\text{PIL}$ filed in $\text{2024}$, which seeks the strict enforcement of the **$\text{Food}$ $\text{Safety}$ and $\text{Standards}$ $\text{Act}$ ($\text{2006}$) to protect vulnerable consumers, including children and the elderly, from health risks. The $\text{High}$ $\text{Court}$ had previously ordered both $\text{Punjab}$ and $\text{Haryana}$ to provide data on penalties imposed over the preceding five years. Officials confirmed that contamination was detected in both raw milk and processed foods, with the potential to cause acute issues like food poisoning and long-term complications. The scale of the problem is evident in the types of adulterated items listed in the affidavit, which span the entire dairy supply chain. Contaminated products included various forms of milk (cow and buffalo), butter, $\text{curd}$, $\text{desi}$ $\text{ghee}$, $\text{paneer}$, and $\text{khoya}$, alongside milk-based sweets such as $\text{burfi}$ and $\text{rasgullas}$. The data presented also revealed regional hotspots, with $\text{Amritsar}$ ($\text{206}$ $\text{cases}$), $\text{Gurdaspur}$ ($\text{208}$ $\text{cases}$), and $\text{Sangrur}$ ($\text{160}$ $\text{cases}$) reporting the highest volumes of decided cases, contrasting with lower numbers in districts like $\text{Sri}$ $\text{Muktsar}$ $\text{Sahib}$ ($\text{30}$) and $\text{Kapurthala}$ ($\text{53}$).

While penalties were levied in approximately $\text{95\%}$ of the $\text{2,191}$ cases, a significant systemic lapse was highlighted by the petitioner, advocate $\text{Sunaina}$. She pointed out that prosecution was initiated in only two instances. This perceived absence of deterrent prosecutions raises serious concerns among agribusiness analysts about accountability and the effectiveness of current enforcement mechanisms. The high number of cases over a five-year period suggests a failure in prevention rather than just detection.

The petition specifically advocates for stronger judicial intervention, calling for stricter sampling protocols, more transparent enforcement, and significantly harsher punishments for repeat violators to restore confidence in the dairy sector. Further demands include the establishment of additional food-testing laboratories and the launch of public awareness campaigns to improve consumer knowledge regarding food safety risks. The $\text{PIL}$ is scheduled for a follow-up hearing on $\text{October}$ $\text{14}$.