Telangana HC reserves verdict on artificial fruit ripeners

Hyderabad: A two-judge panel of Telangana High Court comprising Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili on Thursday reserved its verdict on a batch of cases dealing with use of chemicals as artificial fruit ripeners. The panel heard senior counsel S Niranjan Reddy who pointed out that there were conflicting directions under […]

Hyderabad: A two-judge panel of Telangana High Court comprising Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili on Thursday reserved its verdict on a batch of cases dealing with use of chemicals as artificial fruit ripeners. The panel heard senior counsel S Niranjan Reddy who pointed out that there were conflicting directions under the Insecticide Act and the Foods Safety Act. S Ravi pointed out how use of chemicals had been permitted by the Government of India. The use of chemical ethephon is in the fulcrum of controversy.

‘Probe custodial torture’
The same panel directed district judge, Warangal, to conduct an enquiry and submit a report on custodial torture of Bhukya Bala by Channaropet Police. The panel was dealing with a news item in a Telugu daily. State Advocate General BS Prasad pointed out that the victim was prime accused in the case of another suspicious death. He also informed the court that an in-house enquiry was under way. The panel posted the matter to February 28.

---

PIL dismissed
The same panel dismissed a PIL filed by Telangana Education Development Forum on the order of the government to amalgamate government and schools. The panel upheld the action of amalgamation. Speaking for the panel, the Chief Justice said that the plea of the petitioner was unfounded. The amalgamation, the petitioner said would make it difficult for local children to go the distance to the new amalgamated premises. The panel pointed out that the order provides for amalgamation of only ‘different’ schools in the same premises and therefore was a sound policy.

File status report, govt told
The panel directed Government of Telangana to file a detailed status report on basic amenities available in old age homes in Hyderabad and Rangareddy. In a letter taken up suo moto as a PIL, it was observed that some of the old age homes in the State were in an extremely poor state where the persons kept were being treated inhumanely by chaining them. It was also noted that the ratio of the number of inmates to that of the beds was also at an extremely high rate. Vasudha Nagaraj had been previously appointed as Amicus Curiae and has been directed to give her suggestions pertaining to the issues at hand. The government has been granted 6 weeks to comply and submit a report.

Now you can get handpicked stories from Telangana Today on Telegram everyday.

Click the link to subscribe. Click to follow Telangana Today Facebook page and Twitter .