The Delhi high court on Friday directed a committee of experts to frame guidelines to prevent rampant use of banned pesticides in vegetables and fruits and submit its report to it. The division bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Vipin Sanghi sought the report from the committee by October 8 for framing a policy for periodic checks to detect residue of pesticides in vegetables and fruits.
The bench expressed displeasure over the committee for not holding its meetings frequently to decide the guidelines. “There has been hardly any progress to the status report. In two months, only two meetings have been held. It’s not acceptable to us. We expect the committee to convene meetings more frequently,” said the court. The matter has now been listed for October 10.
The court had earlier directed the Union government to constitute the committee after taking suo motu cognisance of a media report alleging use of banned pesticides in vegetables and fruits. The court observed that “the matters of these nature cannot be delayed” and said the committee needed to meet more frequently.
The bench had ordered forming of the committee, headed by the agriculture ministry’s joint director Sarita Bhalla with Central Insecticide Board and Registration Committee secretary Sandhya Kulshrestha and others as members.
The other members are Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) director Dhir Singh, principal scientist N.K. Sharma of the agriculture ministry, food analyst S.M. Bhardwaj of Delhi’s Department of Food Safety, joint director (plant protection, quarantine and storage) Vipin Bhatnagar and senior advocate V.K. Rao.
The court was informed by the government counsel that the committee members had held two meetings since May 2 and the next meeting is scheduled for August 30.
The court had intervened into the matter taking cognisance of the media report, based on an study by NGO Consumer Voice, which said 35 varieties of vegetables and fruits picked up from various Delhi markets and tested for pesticide contents, had toxins beyond the permissible limits. The report also said that vegetables and fruits sold in the city markets contained poisons capable of causing cancer.