Times News Network

Bangalore, Apr 6: Chewing betelnut is not injurious to health, the Karnataka High Court ruled on Wednesday.

In a major relief to beleaguered arecanut growers and the state's arecanut industry, the court ruled that chewing of arecanut or supari is not injurious to health and that arecanut products need not carry the warning.

Allowing petitions filed by growers questioning the central government order issued under section 45 of the Central Prevention of Food Adulteration Act Justice H V G Ramesh observed that chewing of arecanut or supari has medicinal and nutrient value which has been acknowledged from time immemorial.

The high court said only gutkha and pan masala were injurious to health. The central government cannot issue such a blanket order without conducting a scientific study. Many arecanut growers like B L Shankar, Araga Jnanendra (legislator) and Malnad Arecanut Marketing Co-operative Society questioned the order issued under CPA rules wherein a label 'supari chewing is injurious to health' has to mandatorily fixed on every pack of arecanut product.