Telangana and Andhra governments ordered to file affidavits on artificial ripening of fruits

The state governments of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have been directed by the High Court to file comprehensive affidavits on artificial ripening of fruits..A Division Bench of the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh High Court expressed concern over the use of the carcinogenic chemical Calcium Carbide, which is widely used by wholesalers to ripen fruit..The Bench of Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice G Shyam Prasad had taken suo motu cognizance of news reports dating back to 2015, and converted them into a Public Interest Litigation..Senior Counsel S Niranjan Reddy, who was acting as amicus curiae, told the Court on Tuesday that the use of the hazardous chemical posed serious health risks both in the short term and in the long term. Reddy said that while short term consequences could be as harmless as acidity and indigestion, sustained consumption of the chemical could lead to cancer..The Bench was also informed that both, the Telangana and the Andhra Pradesh governments, had done little to enforce a ban on the use of the chemical, which was ordered by the Court in 2015, and that almost no one had been prosecuted despite the practice being widespread..Reddy also told the Court that given the nature of Calcium Carbide and the risks it posed, there were special rules in place that dictated who could possess and store it, and what it could be used for, among other things..The amicus also drew attention to the fact that both states had only 48 Food Safety Officers (FSO) at their disposal, and given rampant adulteration in products such as milk and food grain, this number was far from adequate..The Court was also informed that Ethylene Chambers could be set up at major wholesale markets for ripening fruit, in the interest of traders. These chambers produced similar results as Calcium Carbide and posed none of the health risks, nor did they affect the nutritional value of the fruits, Reddy added..The two special Government Pleaders who stood in for the Advocates General of the two states said that measures had been taken to increase the number of FSOs, but were unable to give the court exact numbers..The government counsel were also unable to explain the mechanism by which raids to rein in the use of the toxin were conducted, why they resulted in almost no cases being registered and whether they were periodical..The Bench directed both the state governments to file comprehensive affidavits within a week, detailing the number of FSOs appointed, and the way raids were conducted, among other things, within one week’s time, The matter will now be taken up on Tuesday, December 12.