Don't use saliva while packing materials: Madras high court directs hotels, bakeries

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Tuesday directed business houses, hotels, bakeries and other establishments directly involved in supplying food material to customers, not to blow the covers or touch the saliva to separate the covers and packing materials.

The first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy gave a direction to this effect while admitting a PIL petition from Tiruchendur-based advocate, B Ramkumar Adityan.

The petitioner submitted that awareness has to be created with regard to packing materials to the business houses. The packers used saliva to separate the covers or blew them up. This would result in the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, he contended. "These are some things we do not realise while doing it," the bench admitted.

Appreciating the petitioner for making the good suggestion, the bench directed the state to create awareness or issue instructions to all business houses involved in packing food items, where such practice is in vogue. The matter stands adjourned by four weeks.