Utilise officers, end carbide misuse: Hyderabad High Court

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday told the governments of both TS and AP to utilise the services of the weights and measures departments to eradicate the usage of calcium carbide and other chemicals to artificially ripen fruits. A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Dilip B. Bhosale and Justice A.V. Sesha Sai was dealing with a taken-up matter based on newspaper reports with regard to rampant usage of calcium carbide to ripen fruits.

Justice Bhosale noted that recently, officials conducted a test on six varieties of fruits that were being sold in a famous retail outlet. Of these six, three varieties were found to be unsafe for consumption. The bench, referring to the suggestions of amicus curiae in the case for establishment of ethylene chambers to ripen fruits and keeping a constant vigil on fruit vendors and also giving publicity on ill effects of consumption of artificially ripened fruits, told both the governments to implement them.

Special counsel for AP told the bench that the government has received proposals from the Food Safety Commissioner for appointment of a food safety officer for each mandal and that it was taking steps for their appointment. Counsel for Telangana submitted that there were 26 food safety officers working in the state and the vacancies will be filled up soon.