The Director General of Customs and the Registrar of Pesticides were directed by Colombo High Court Judge Kumudini Wickramasinghe to be present in Court on March 22 and report to Court what steps has been taken to stop the distribution of pesticides that were found to be contaminated with arsenic and mercury.
The petition was filed by the Centre for Environmental Justice when it was found that the imported pesticides on examination were found to be contaminated with arsenic and mercury which were detrimental to the health of the people who used them.
When the case was taken up in January the Court issued a stay order and restricted the issue and distribution of the said pesticides.
Senior State Counsel Shobitha Rajakaruna informed Court that the Customs had already released the pesticides before the Court had issued the stay order in January.
The Colombo High Court then directed the Director General of Customs and the Registrar of Pesticides to be present in person in Court to ascertain what steps has been taken to restrict such distribution.
Attorney Ravindranath Dabera with Sampath Vijitha Kumara appeared for the Centre for Environmental Justice. |
E-mail
