Ranchi, Nov 20 (IANS) Animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has claimed that dairy milk is bad for human health and has asked the Jharkhand government to stop giving cow milk to school children.The request comes following the death of five school children last week after reportedly consuming cow milk.

“Cow milk is meant for calves. It is not only senseless (to give it to human beings) but also hazardous,” said PETA campaign coordinator Nikunj Sharma.

Sharma said: “We urge the Jharkhand government to withdraw their milk distribution scheme immediately and replace cow milk with soya milk”.

A press release of PETA says: “Cow milk poses a threat to human health. Dairy products contain no fibre or complex carbohydrates and are laden with saturated fat and cholesterol. They are often contaminated with cow’s blood and pus as well as pesticides, hormones and antibiotics. Dairy milk has also been linked to allergies, constipation, obesity, heart disease, certain types of cancer, diabetes and other diseases”.

It further adds: “Cows are artificially inseminated every year so that they will continue to produce milk, and their calves are torn away from them within a day of birth. The milk produced by mother cows for their own offspring is then taken away and consumed by humans. Replacing cow milk with delicious dairy-free soya milk is the easiest way to improve one’s health and to avoid supporting cruelty to cows”.