Little done to curb pesticide use in vegetables, Delhi HC told

New Delhi, Feb 11 (IANS) Despite the excessive use of pesticides in vegetables and fruits sold across the national capital, "little has been done to curb the menace", the Delhi High Court was told Wednesday.

A report submitted by amicus curiae Saket Sikri said that in a number of vegetables and edible items, pesticide residue was found to be beyond permissible limits.

A division bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice R.S. Endlaw asked the Delhi government to go through the report and file a status report by April 8.

A large quantity of vegetables and fruits sold in the capital contains dangerous pesticides that can cause serious health problems, the report said.

It claimed that as per media reports, due to excessive usage of pesticides in fruits and vegetable, "various countries have banned the import of Indian vegetables and fruits and many more are under scrutiny".

According to media reports, the European Union temporarily banned the import of famous Alphonso mangoes, brinjal, taro plant, bitter gourd and snake gourd.

Saudi Arabia also banned green chillies from India due to excessive pesticide residue.

The report said it was evident that it was not only the consumer who was at risk, but people living in the vicinity of area where such pesticides were sprayed indiscriminately were equally at risk.

It said the issue of pesticides was not only limited to Delhi but was a pan-India problem which needs to be addressed by the authorities at the earliest.

The high court had earlier taken suo motu cognizance of an NGO report that said the amount of pesticides used by farmers in India was as much as 750 times higher than European standards.