Tea board slams ‘false’ Pepsi ad

Coimbatore (PTI): The Tea Board of India has described as “totally false” a Pepsi advertisement that reportedly claims that tea contains more pesticide residues than the soft drink.

“The advertisement showing residue level present in tea was 14.2 ppm (parts per million) and 28,000 times more than the standards prescribed by the health ministry is totally misleading,” R.D. Nazeem, executive director of the Nilgiri chapter of the board, said on Friday.

Nazeem, quoting an analysis of Upasi Tea Research Foundation carried out in 2005-06, said the level (of residue) in tea was much lower than that prescribed by the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act.

Unlike soft drinks, tea is not consumed directly but put in boiled water before consumption, he said.

However, the board has no plans to sue Pepsi, Nazeem added.

EC to be guided by profit law

Varanasi (PTI) The Election Commission has said it will abide by the office of profit legislation while deciding on the disqualification petitions against 40 MPs.

Chief election commissioner N. Gopalaswami said so when asked about the petitions pending with the poll panel.

On the plea for disqualification of Union health minister A. Ramadoss for being on the board of directors of AIIMS, a post not exempt under the office of profit legislation, Gopalaswami said the commission has served notice to the minister and his response was awaited.

Hindi at UN

New Delhi (PTI): India has said Hindi should be included as one of the languages used by the UN as it is spoken by a substantial percentage of the world population.

Minister of state for external affairs Anand Sharma said so while launching the Hindi website of the ministry of external affairs, www.mea.gov.in.

Gaganjit bail plea

Chandigarh (PTI): Akali Dal MLA Gaganjit Singh has decided to move a fresh bail plea in the case of the alleged rape of his domestic help-cum-masseuse. A local court had said it was too early to decide on the one already moved by him as forensic reports were still awaited.

FIR names child

Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): A two-year-old figures in an FIR in a criminal case relating to a property dispute. Aparna, her parents and grandmother have been charged with trespassing and cheating.

The Central Institute of Goats, Mathura, has successfully produced the country’s second test tube goat on Thursday. Both the mother and kid were healthy, institute director N.P. Singh said.