Supreme Court refuses to ban use of microwaves

New Delhi, Mar 26: The Supreme Court today declined to entertain a PIL seeking ban on the use of microwave ovens as the microwaves emitted by these ovens are extremely harmful for human health, especially for pregnant women, who work in the kitchen.

Senior counsel L Nagaeshwar Rao appearing for the petitioner Prabha Kiran, submitted before the bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice R V Raveendran that scientific clinical studies conducted in Russia, Germany and Switzerland have confirmed that consumption of oven-baked food is extremely harmful for human brain and body . The production of hormones may also be shut down and all the minerals, vitamins and nutrients contained in the food are virtually lost and minerals of vegetables are changed into cancerous free redials, when the food is cooked in these ovens.

The court was also informed that foods cooked in microwave cause stomach and intestinal tumors and prolonged use of such foods increases cancerous cells in human blood besides causing loss of memory, concentration, emotional instability and fall in intelligence level.

The court, however, granted liberty to the petitioner to approach the authorities concerned at the Centre, State and Union territory for redressal of her grievance and permitted the petitioner to withdraw her petition.

UNI