Public health a priority, bench tells Andhra Pradesh, Telangana to set up chambers
Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday advised the states of Telangana and AP to set up fruits ripening chambers in market yards of both the states before commencement of mango season next year, in order to overcome the problem fruits artificially ripened using calcium carbide.
A division bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Dilip B. Bhosale and Justice S.V. Bhatt, while dealing with a suo moto case based on news reports on artificial ripening of fruits, also advised the two states to make available the mobile numbers of the authorities concerned to the people so that they could lodge complaints or pass information on artificial ripening of fruits through social media platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook.
Amicus curiae in the case submitted that usage of ethylene for ripening fruits was accepted worldwide and was not harmful to humans. He said that availability of “ripening chambers” in fruit market yards would be helpful to fruit vendors. Establishment of such a chamber would cost up to '10 lakh.
P. Venugopal, advocate-general of AP, informed the court on the steps being taken to create awareness among the public about the adverse effects of using calcium carbide for ripening fruits artificially.
Special government pleader of TS A. Sanjeev Kumar placed photographs before the court pertaining to display of posters in market yards on sensitising the people on the ill affects due to consumption of artificially ripened fruits.
After perusing the poster, the bench pointed out that the poster appears that the government itself was certifying artificially ripened fruits.
The bench said that the steps taken by both the states were not satisfactory and asked the governments to ensure that the posters have mobile numbers of the authorities concerned.
The bench felt that, “There is a need to have some mechanism for people to approach the authority to lodge complaints against artificially ripened fruits, besides educating consumers to identify whether the fruits purchased are ripened naturally or artificially.
The bench told the governments to take the issue seriously and consider suggestion for establishment of fruit ripening chambers, and posted the hearing of the case after three weeks.
A division bench of Justice Nooty Ramamohana Rao and Justice Anis of Hyderabad High Court has issued notice to P.K. Mohanty, a former Chief Secretary of the composite AP state, in a contempt of court case.
Former special chief secretary of AP, Mohammad Shafiq-uz-Zaman, moved the contempt case against Mr Mohanty, alleging that he violated a court order and accorded unlawful promotions to some IAS officers.
The petitioner reminded the bench that the High Court had directed Mr Mohanty, while he was Chief Secretary, not to create ex-cadre posts in the rank of special chief secretary beyond the permissible level.
Despite the order, the respondent official went on to create more such posts and promoted as many as six IAS officers to the rank of special chief secretary.
“This was beyond the permissible level and a clear violation of the court order,” the bench heard.
The senior official told the bench that the court had, earlier also, pulled up Mr Mohanty for violating the order of the court and that he had also moved another contempt petition against Mr Mohanty for promoting two more IAS officers.
The bench directed Mr Mohantay to explain why he failed to comply. A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Dilip B. Bhosale and Justice S.V. Bhatt of the Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition against TS Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao pertaining to the 2006 byelection for the Karimnagar LS seat.
K. Madhukar Reddy and another resident of Karimnagar moved the plea, seeking to direct the Election Commission to postpone the bypoll scheduled on December 4, 2006.
The petitioners wanted Mr Rao disqualified alleging that he had violated the model code of conduct and was repeatedly resigning and contesting polls, causing loss to the exchequer.
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