Upa-Lokayukta orders action against fruit merchants and traders resorting to artificial ripening of fruits

A fruit ripening centre in Anantapur. Photo for representational purpose only
| Photo Credit: PRASAD RVS

VIJAYAWADA

Upa-Lokayukta of Andhra Pradesh P. Rajani recommended to the Commissioner of Agricultural Marketing to take action as per G.O. Rt.No.288 dated March 19, 2012 against fruit merchants and traders resorting to artificial ripening of fruits using calcium carbonate violating the regulations and directed the Joint Collectors to immediately constitute district-level committees for the purpose. 

Besides, Ms. Rajani directed the Commissioner of Food Safety to instruct the assistant food controllers, gazetted food controllers and food safety officers to intensify the inspection of fruit ripening chambers and agriculture market yards and take action under the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 for violations of the Food Safety (Prohibition and Restriction on Sale) Regulations, 2011, and to conduct awareness programs on the proper way of ripening fruits and using safe agents, which were harmless to human beings. 

The Upa-Lokayukta was acting on a complaint lodged by director of a Hyderabad-based company J. Govardhan Reddy, that fruit vendors and marketers were using excessive chemicals for early ripening of fruits and the monitoring and control of this activity lies on the Food Safety Department and the States’ Marketing Committees but nothing was done to curb the menace.

He sought necessary orders on the alleged inaction of the officials concerned in controlling the artificial ripening of fruits, responding to which the above instructions were issued (by the Upa-Lokayukta) during a hearing on Monday (February 17).