The government has decided to screen mangoes that are brought from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka in the border check-posts.
The decision comes in the wake of reports from a food safety team that visited Andhra Pradesh recently. The report said that calcium carbide was being extensively used for ripening mangoes in 180 wholesale centres there.
The government had asked three teams of food safety officials to visit adjoining States in the wake of the seizure of large quantities of mangoes following complaints that chemicals were used.
Minister for Health V.S. Sivakumar told the Assembly on Wednesday that the check-posts would be equipped to carry out the checks. If needed, the mangoes coming from these States would be banned.
