Orissa High Court dismisses plea claiming that ‘red ant chutney’ can prevent COVID-19 infection

The Orissa High Court recently dismissed a plea which claimed that ‘Kaai (Kukuti) Chutney (paste)’ which is prepared using red ants can prevent COVID-19 infection (Er. Nayadhar Padhial v. Union of India)..A Bench of Chief Justice S Muralidhar and Justice BP Routray said that it is hardly equipped to comment upon such matters and that these are to be left to expert bodies, CSIR and the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences. .The Court declined to issue any notices to authorities in the case and dismissed the petition.."The Court is not inclined to accept the above prayers...Equally, the use of red ant chutney or soup by the tribal communities for medicinal and therapeutic purposes, is based on their traditional knowledge systems which the Court is hardly equipped to comment upon," the order passed by the Court said. .The petition was moved by an Assistant Engineer (Civil), Takatpur, R&B Section, Baripada, District Mayurbhanj. He hailed from the Bathudi Tribal Adivasi community and contended that that ‘Kaai (Kukuti) Chutney (paste)’ which is prepared using red ants, mixed with green chilly (Dhanua Lanka) is a potent medicine that can boost the immunity system. .The Court also noted that the representation which was sent by the petitioner to the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India and CSIR had already been rejected. In this backdrop, the Bench observed that it does not possess the expertise to sit in appeal over the decision of expert bodies..The court further highlighted the observations of the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences in the matter. "As regards the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences is concerned, it has noted that it could not find any reference from the classical books of Ayurveda mentioned in the First Schedule of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 on the internal use of red ant chutney as claimed by the Petitioner so as to validate it as an Ayurvedic medicine. Therefore, the use of red ant chutney or soup for the beneficial use by the COVID-19 patient is stated to be 'out of the purview of Ayurveda drugs as per regulatory provisions of Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules, 1945.'”.With these observations, the petition was dismissed. .[Read Order]