Officials of the Health Department of the Tiruchi Corporation conducted surprise checks at some of the fruit shops at the Gandhi Market in the City on Friday to check for the use of calcium carbide for ripening mangoes.
The raids resulted in the seizure of just about three baskets of mangoes, which were allegedly being ripened using calcium carbide power kept in sachets, in one of the shops. The Corporation officials, including City Health Officer K.C.Cheran, conducted checks in about 10 wholesale and retail shops at the market.
The raids coming towards the end of the mango season in the city came as a surprise to many as the Corporation Health Department had not initiated any action during the peak season.
However, Mr.Cheran, when quizzed about this, said there were not many complaints about the use of calcium carbide for ripening the fruits in the city. Besides, the raids conducted last season has had an impact and the fruit shop owners claimed that they were not using the chemical.
The officials also raided a couple of mutton stalls and sealed them on finding them functioning under unhygienic conditions.
