Hair in kulfi, Verka says could have flown from nearby barber’s shop

Chandigarh: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed Verka, the flagship brand of Punjab's state-owned cooperative Milkfed, to refund Rs 25 and pay Rs 3,000 as compensation for harassment caused to Sector 19 resident after a hair strand was found in an ice cream he bought from its booth. The Verka authorities were also asked to deposit Rs 7,000 with Institute for The Blind, Sector 26, as penalty for the irregularity in a first of its kind order.

Anshul Arora, a resident of Sector 19, said he had purchased one "Malai Kulfi" from Verka booth for Rs 25 on December 25, 2016. He found a hair stand and immediately informed the salesman, who referred the matter to the head of the marketing team.

The matter was reported to the police. A daily diary report (DDR) was lodged. A report from a food analyst in Haryana was sent to food safety officer, Government Multi-specialty Hospital, Sector 16. It was proved that the sample of kufli in the poly pack contained a small piece of hair.

The complaint was filed against Verka booth in Sector 19, Verka milk plant in Industrial Area and Punjab State Cooperative Milk Producers Federation Limited, Sector 34.

In its reply, Verka denied hair was inside the kulfi. It stated that the strand might have stuck to the kulfi because of the windy weather and due to a barber's shop near the booth. Verka also stated that the alleged incident happened on December 25, 2016, and the complainant had taken the sample to laboratory for checking after two days. Verka authorities further stated that it might be possible that the plastic bag in which the sample was stored was containing a hair.

The forum held the pleas taken by Verka that the hair found inside the kulfi might have stuck because of windy weather and due to barber's shop nearby was highly absurd.

How can a hair from a barber's shop stick in an ice-cream packed in double packing, the forum asked. The other plea taken by them that it might be possible that the plastic bag in which the sample was stored was containing a hair, was stated to be "not worthy of belief as it is not reported in the report of the food analyst, Haryana, that hair in the sample of kulfi was stuck on it, rather it is reported that the sample contains a piece of hair."