CHENNAI: The state government on Wednesday informed the Madras HC that the department of Horticulture and Plantation Crops has held inspections in the fields, where watermelons are being cultivated, and no food adulteration was found in tests.
The submission was made by special government pleader S Senthil Murugan before Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy when a petition filed by M Venkatesan, president of Chengalpattu Farmers Welfare Association came up for hearing.
The petitioner sought to take action against the designated officer of Food Safety and Drug Administration department Dr P Satheesh Kumar, who has now been transferred out of the post, for causing fear among the public by spreading information that injecting of chemicals is done in water melons to enhance colour and sweetness.
Inspections done after complaints over such misleading information by the officer showed that there is no such adulteration in the field, the pleader told the court, while submitting a report of the Horticulture department in Chengalpattu.
Recording the submission, the judge asked the government authorities to spread wide awareness among the public so as to clear the doubts over the quality of the fruits. He adjourned the matter to June 9 for further hearing.