Chennai:
Every year, Chennaites have been consuming poisonous mangoes which have been artificially ripened using calcium carbide by traders who wanted to earn fast bucks at the cost of consumers health.
But this year, Chennai Food Safety department is not taking things for granted. It has gone a step ahead and plans to initiate legal action against traders who are selling the carcinogenic mangoes.
Dr R Katiravan, designated officer, Chennai Food Safety department, told Express after seizing more than four tonnes of mangoes and 200kg of papayas from 65 shops in Koyambedu market, that usually after the raids food safety department lets off the traders but destroys the artificial ripened fruits.
But things are going to change now. “We have now taken samples from the mangoes seized and sent it for tests. The reports are awaited in the next 14 days following which we will file a case,” says Dr Kathiravan.
The traders would either be convicted or fined. Interestingly, the traders greed has no bounds. They have not only been artificially ripening mangoes but also other fruits that too at the cost of Chennaites health.
Kathiravan raided the 65 shops along with 10 food safety officers including Sadasivam, Manimaran, Raja, Loganathan Jai Gopal, Siva Sankar and Market Management Committee officials. He said that food safety officials would be conducting the raids frequently may be once in 10 days.
The raid was conducted around 10.30am and continued till 3.30pm. Around 250kg of calcium carbide stones, which were neatly concealed, were recovered from the shops.
This is the fourth raid conducted by the food safety department.
Harmful effects of eating artificial ripened mangoes:
1.Calcium carbide stone is used for arch welding
2.It is industrial grade chemical.
3.It consists of heavy metals like arsenic and lead
4.People consuming artificial ripened mangoes are prone to neurological disorder
5.Since it is a corrosive chemical, it is carcinogenic
6.It causes Gastritis
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