Hearing on use of fruit-ripening chemicals adjourned by week

Hyderabad: The two judge PIL bench of the High Court at Hyderabad comprising Acting Chief Justice Dilip Bhosale and Justice S V Bhatt on Tuesday adjourned by a week the writ plea relating to prohibiting use of artificial material on fruits.

The bench had earlier taken on file a news report published in a Telugu daily relating to use of prohibited chemicals in ripening fruits at Gaddi Annaram fruit market in Hyderabad and at several other places in both the States leading to health hazard of the general public and to the labour engaged in mixing the prohibited chemicals in the fruits and thereby causing violation of the Right to Life under article 21 of the Constitution.

The Telangana State government informed the bench of its intent to establish an ethylene ripening centre at Gaddiannaram at the cost of Rs. 60 lakhs. It also informed the bench of four volunteers who had agreed to set up similar centres at some other centres. The AP government also told the court that it was also established six such facilities. The bench will continue the hearing of the petition next week.