By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: A city based lawyer from Laban fell ill after consuming paneer (a product made of toned milk) on Sunday evening. The consumer while speaking to this daily informed that she bought the paneer from a shop called Bilkis located at Howell Road in Laban.
The Amul branded paneer had a manufacturing date of November 19, 2012 with “best before 180 days”, that is, the said shop sold an expired food item to its customers since the printed 180 days was already over.
“I usually buy various items from this shop and I never doubted that they would sell me any expired stuff. After cooking the paneer, I thought to serve it first to my children. But then I changed my mind and luckily when I tasted it first found that it is bitter,” said advocate Afreen Begum.
Sensing foul play by the shopkeeper she rushed to the said shop with the raw paneer along with the cooked stuff accompanied by Irene Hujon, president, CSWO (I) and took up the matter with the shopkeeper.
“The lady at the shop herself said that the paneer is rotten and tried to keep the Amul packet with her. But who knows there must be other rotten products in her shop and so I informed the police who in turn seized the shop,” said Afreen.
The lawyer felt queasy and ill after consuming the stale paneer. Hujon said that they have informed the food inspector about the incident. The said inspector as learnt was supposed to act upon the matter on Monday evening. The CSWO (I) president also said that action needs to be initiated since there may be many more items in this shop which are stacked beyond the expiry date.
“We complained so that such unfair trade practice does not recur in future as it deals with the lives of people,” said Hujon.