Case to keep a check on sale of non edible oil

HC orders notice to State on PIL plea

The Madras High Court Bench here on Wednesday ordered notice to the State Government on a public interest litigation petition which sought for a direction to keep a check on sale of non edible oil sachets which contain the words such as ‘non edible’ and ‘for external use only,’ on the back, and not in front, of the packets.

A Division Bench of Justices K. K. Sasidharan and G.R. Swaminathan passed the order after taking a look at one such sachet produced in court. K. Ravichandran of Orathanadu Taluk in Thanjavur district had filed the case claiming that many people were using non edible oils for cooking due to ignorance.

Claim

The petitioner claimed that oils meant only for external use and those that were meant to be used to light lamps were being purchased, especially by rural residents, for cooking since the caution messages were printed only on the back of the packets which many miss to notice before purchasing.