Delhi High Court to hear plea on Chinese 'plastic' rice in India

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court today agreed to hear a plea alleging that rice made out of plastic, imported from China, was being sold in the country and seeking testing of samples.

A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath said it will hear on August 20 the application which has alleged that the " plastic rice" was being sold by mixing it with real rice.

The application by advocate Sugriva Dubey, has sought that wholesale traders of rice, pulses and fruits be raided and samples be tested for adulteration to protect the common man.

It has said that plastic rice when ingested along with the real one is not digested and leads to serious gastric ailments.

"Due to globalisation, rice in large quantities is being imported from China and even pulses are being imported from different countries, but no quality test is conducted," the application has said.

It has alleged that the rice imported from China also includes "plastic rice" and ordinary persons cannot differentiate between it and the real rice.

The plea has also alleged that fruits, like mangoes, are being ripened artificially by using calcium carbide or other chemicals.

Dubey filed the application in a PIL before the court on the issue of artificial colouring of fruits and vegetables as well as presence of banned pesticides in them.