The health department officials of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) on Thursday seized and destroyed 1,700 kilogram mangoes for using calcium carbide to ripen them, which is prohibited under law.

The officials said calcium carbide was used widely to ripen mangoes. It was an offence under the provisions of the Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006, they said. Already, several thousand kilograms of such mangoes have been seized and destroyed, mostly from Kharderao Market, a major fruit and vegetable market in the city.

This is only the latest in a series of raids conducted by the health department officials since mangoes started hitting the market. On Monday, under similar raid, the officials destroyed 1,300 kg of mangoes for the same reason. Last week, the officials had destroyed 2,450 kilograms of mango juice and 1,250 kilograms of mangoes for using calcium carbide, officials said.

Homeless families spending sleepless nights get succour at neighbours' house

The families that evacuated the four-storey building last week in Vadodara have been spending sleepless nights.

One Deepak Darji, a young photographer, said he had not slept properly since the last one week after the building where he lived caved in last Thursday, forcing him to evacuate, along with 15 other families that lived there.

As Darji watched the building being taken down, people rendered homeless said they were surviving on help received from neighbours and others who offered them shelter, food and money as donation for their new building, even as government officials and local politicians have so far stayed away.

"I stay out for the whole day and go to sleep at a neighbour's house at night. Neighbours give us food to eat, place to sleep. We have not yet decided where we should be living," he said.

Kamini Shah, another resident, said her family of six, including two elderly people, are temporarily staying at the house of their neighbour, as she guards belongings heaped outside for want of space in the house. "Two days ago, thieves made away with a juicer-grinder from the heap at night. I can't leave the belongings as our belongings are not safe here. We are trying to find a house on rent but it is not easy," she said.

Ramesh Shah, 70, said he was trying to find an old-age home to stay as the retired teacher lived alone. Anil Kale, who had lived there since last 12 years along with eight family members, said a neighbour house had given them temporary shelter.