AGARTALA, May 6 (TIWN): Owing to the silent role of the State Food department and food test labs the shopkeepers across the capital city Agartala are on a spree flourishing their business by selling expired cold drinks at large.

To meet the thirst of customers amidst the soar in temperature here in Agartala, the stock of expired cold drink bottles in many of the grocery shops are being sold at large. Recently, a customer at the heart of the city complaint, “After I brought a cold drink bottle from a shop I noticed that the date has been expired and later after I complaint to the shopkeepers he putted blame on the dealer.”

“Later the shopkeeper has also said that it is not his fault rather he said it is impossible for us to check every cold drink bottles and keep,” alleged the customer.

However, but it is to be mentioned here that several such shopkeepers were seen keeping expired cold drink bottles intentionally to make a hefty profit selling those.

After being contacted to know if the department has taken stock of the situation, SDM Manik Lal Das recently told to TIWN, “We have received one complaint recently following which we had sealed one godown at the city.”

“We along with the excise and Food and Civil Supplies department conducted a raid at the godown, but we had found no stock of expired cold drink bottles there,” Said Das.

Das also said, “Might be those bottles were already sided before we arrived there, but we have collected some samples of the cold drinks that were kept in the godown and later we had already send those to the food testing laboratory.”

Das said that if any expired cold drinks are found on any shops than the concerned shopkeeper would be punished because he is equally responsible as the dealer is.

Stating that the "drive" to seize bottles of expired cold drinks would continue if any complaint is registered, the official requested the general public to avoid consuming the drinks that has crossed its expiry date.

But, time waits for none because causing damage to health by the expired cold drinks would not register complain with the department but would bring the negligence of the department under the limelight.