India: Delhi High Court orders pesticide reassessment

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India: Delhi High Court orders pesticide reassessment

The Delhi High Court has come to clash with the government over its analysis of food safety and pesticide usage in the nation's produce.fruit _ recetasdelujo _com

Following criticism by NGO Consumer Voice, the High Court ordered the government Sunday to repeat a toxicity report of pesticide levels found in fruits and vegetables sold to the public.

The Delhi government reported to the court last week that the pesticide content of fruits and vegetables sold in the capital were safe for consumers. The government announcement came after the court had requested investigation in response to a Consumer Voice report alleging high levels of chlordane, endrin, heptachlor and other pesticides present in Delhi produce.

In 2010, Consumer Voice reported findings of several banned pesticides in Delhi markets, as well as pesticide levels of up to 750 times greater of that found in European markets.

When the government reported to the high court, however, it indicated no health-related threat. The body reported quite the opposite, in fact, stating that pesticide levels were a fraction of that in North America and Europe, Dailymail.co.uk reported.

A 1,513-sample analysis by the agriculture department found pesticide traces to be within "prescribed range."

The NGO told Dailymail.co.uk that the government report reflected pressure by pesticide producers.

"Major pesticide manufacturers have started discrediting our notion that pesticide residuals are high in content present in the vegetables and fruits and it also appears that the government's effort to whitewash our fight showing that there is indeed alarming presence," the NGO's Sri Ram Khanna said.

The government has been directed to reassess its finding and present a plan at the next scheduled hearing on Feb. 5, 2014.

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