India, Jan. 31 -- The Bombay high court on Thursday issued notices to the state and the central governments to respond to a public interest litigation seeking cancer warnings on alcohol bottles. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared alcohol as a class I carcinogen while US surgeon general has said it causes at least seven types of cancer, the PIL said, seeking directions to the state and central governments and the Food and Safety Standards Association of India to incorporate cancer warnings on alcohol bottle labels.

Petitioner Yash Chilwar, a social activist, believes labelling can reduce the ill-effects of alcohol and lead the way towards a sophisticated and better society. Purchasers of alcohol do not have basic information...