HC seeks report on vacant post of food inspectors

New Delhi, July 13 (IANS) Delhi High Court on Thursday sought a report from authorities in the national capital on the number of vacant post of food inspectors, which is hampering an effective check on the use of pesticides in vegetables and fruits sold in Delhi.

A division bench of acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C. Hari Shankar asked the authorities to file a status report on the number of food inspectors after being told that vacancies were still not filled.

The court was earlier told that in a number of vegetables and edible items, pesticide residue was found to be beyond permissible limits.

However, owing to the shortage of food inspectors, such vegetables and fruits reach households, thus posing a serious threat to people's health.

According to a report submitted by amicus curiae, a large quantity of vegetables and fruits sold in the capital contains dangerous pesticides that can cause serious health problems.

It had claimed that due to excessive usage of pesticides in fruits and vegetable, "various countries have banned the import of Indian vegetables and fruits and many more are under scrutiny".

The high court had earlier taken suo motu cognisance of an NGO's report that said the amount of pesticides used by farmers in India was as much as 750 times higher than European standards.