Chandy to write to his counterparts seeking help The State government, as part of its efforts to bring in regulatory measures to check the import of vegetables with high pesticide residual content into Kerala from neighbouring States, has decided to work in cooperation with the neighbouring States so that the practice of using pesticides in farmlands may be regulated. At a high-level meeting with the Ministers of Health, Agriculture, and Civil Supplies, and Food Safety officials here on Wednesday, to discuss how far regulatory measures can be made effective, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said that he would be writing to the Chief Ministers of neighbouring States seeking their help in creating awareness about dangers of pesticide-ridden foods and in enforcing the checks. An inter-State coordination meeting of government officials of neighbouring States at the Secretary-level will be held in the first week of July to discuss the joint measures to be taken by the States to regulate the use of pesticides on vegetables. Regulatory measures In order to coordinate the regulatory measures being adopted, the government will seek the cooperation of wholesale vegetable traders and set up State-level and regional committees for effective implementation. The meeting also decided to create more awareness among the public and vegetable traders on the dangers of consuming pesticide-ridden foods. Mr. Chandy said that steps were being taken to strengthen the Food Safety Department and that testing facilities worth Rs.2.45 crore would soon be put in place in the State laboratories. In the long term, the State will take effective measures to boost the production of vegetables so that there is self-sufficiency in vegetables. At present, vegetable production in the State is 30 per cent short of the actual requirement Meanwhile, the Food Safety wing will intensify checks in hotels and eateries to ensure that harmful food additives and flavour enhancers are not used in excessive quantities in cooked food. The department has also decided to conduct checks on all branded spices and condiments available in the market to check for adulteration. At border check-posts Checks at border check-posts will be intensified and the government will be firm about the regulatory provisions regarding the need for registration/licence for vegetable traders and their vehicles, as per the Food Safety and Standards Act. With about 464 food safety cases pending before courts, special courts are also being contemplated to dispose of these cases. Health Secretary K. Ellangovan; Food Safety Commissioner T. V. Anupama; Secretaries of various departments and senior officials were present.