Paneer found unfit for human consumption; Bhadson dairy continues sale

Karam Prakash

Tribune News Service

Patiala, August 25

Despite the state food laboratory declaring ‘paneer’ sample of a dairy unfit for human consumption, its owner still continues to sell it in Bhadson block of the district.

The Health Department said the ‘paneer’ sample was collected from dairy in Bhadson last month. The report of the test revealed that ‘paneer’ had foreign fat (other than milk fat) and declared it unfit for human consumption. The Tribune visited dairy and purchased ‘paneer’ today.

When asked about action against dairy owner, Dr Shaley Jaitley, District Health Officer (DHO), said, “We have already informed dairy owner about result of the food sample.” “The dairy owner has claimed that he used to buy ‘paneer’ from a seller. However, now he has stopped buying ‘paneer’ from supplier and started producing it himself,” she added.

When asked about any provision in the law to stop him from selling ‘paneer’ after the report declared its sample unfit for human consumption, the DHO said she would take guidance from the higher ups. “We will call him for a hearing and have already issued a notice in this regard. The owner will be given time to challenge report. Thereafter, we will file a case in the court of the Additional Deputy Commissioner,” she said.

Meanwhile, experts have questioned the role of the Health Department in allowing dairy owner to sell ‘paneer’ despite the lab declaring its sample unfit for human consumption.

However, Health Department claimed that stock from which ‘paneer’ sample was collected had been sold. There was no provision to stop dairy owner, the department added.

Kumar Rahul, Food Commissioner, Punjab, said, “We will again send a team to dairy to find supplier if there is any. Besides, I will ask officials to keep a vigil on the dairy.”