Bananas are washed with shampoo so that they appear shiny, Calcium Carbide is used to ripen mangoes, chikoo and papaya. These and many more facts emerged when the city police raided fruit outlets and godowns in the old city on Wednesday afternoon. Following complaints about fruit traders using harmful chemicals to ripen fruits, special police teams raided a few godowns across the old city. Deputy Commissioner of Police (south) V. Satyanarayana along with 250 other police personnel checked 22 places and registered seven cases against fruit traders.
The police found that the traders were using chemicals and sprays like fungicide Carbendazim (so that the fruits don’t get spoilt) and ripening agents like Uni Ripe Spray and Ruspon Spray. In one godown, officials also found shampoo and rat poison dumped on the premises. Several kilograms of Calcium Carbide (CaC2) were also seized during the raids. “Traders are violating the government orders and using chemicals for artificially ripening the fruits. We are initiating criminal cases against them,” DCP (south) V. Satyanarayana said.
The police registered cases under 420 (cheating), 272 (adulteration of food or drink intended for sale) and 273 (sale of noxious food or drink) of Indian Penal Code against the traders. The Hyderabad HC also asked the government to initiate action against traders who use harmful chemicals to ripen the fruits.
Traders were found using sprays such as fungicide Carbendazim and ripening agents like Uni Ripe Spray and Ruspon Spray
