DINAKARAN NEWS

DINAMALAR NEWS

Menaka working on ’health food vs junk food’ in schools

New Delhi, June 05, 2014: With the noble motive of improving nutrition among school-going children; Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi plans to propose a ban on unsuitable or ‘junk’ food in school canteens across the country.

" Her focus is to make available good quality, safe food for students in school canteens”, said officials from the WCD Ministry. “The idea is also to specify what constitutes ‘junk’ food and making children aware why they are harmful,” stated an official. Ms. Menaka, plans to discuss the matter with the Health and Human Resource Development (HRD) ministries. It may be noted the mid-day meal schemes come under the HRD ministry.

The Health ministry’s "Food Safety and Security of India" (FSSAI) is already working on guidelines proposing healthy food on school premises. The Delhi High Court has also been studying the regulation of sale of junk food and aerated drinks in and around school premises in the country. 

The court is hearing the PIL filed by NGO - Uday Foundation seeking an immediate ban on junk food and carbonated drinks in all unaided and private schools. The NGO has also sought a direction to initiate measures to discourage availability of fast food within 500 yards ofschools in Delhi, apart from a canteen policy. 

The court has also been asking FSSAI to come out with comprehensive guidelines for regulating sale of junk food and aerated drinks in and around school premises all over the country, this initiative is expected to gain the support of a wide cross section of the people.

SC refuses to lift stay order on legal regime for food products

The Supreme Court has refused to lift a stay order imposed by the Bombay High Court on theCentre’s proposed new legal regime for food products under which Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had been tasked with providing new approvals for food products already in the market by different manufacturers.

A two judge bench of the Apex Court, comprising of Justices J S Khehar and C Nagappan was examining a plea filed by FSSAI in which the food authority had asked to modify the stay order passed by theBombay High Court. Appearing on behalf of the FSSAI, senior advocate Paras Kuhad had earlier argued that the food authority had been handicapped from examining any food product by the said stay order, stating that the order was affecting the entire industry and that the entire food safety mechanism had been rendered ineffective.

Kuhad also added that the deadline for final product approval and licensing had been extended to August 31 by the by the FSSAI and that manufacturers could take the offered time period to get their products approved without waiting for the final verdict of the petition.

The Supreme Court in its ruling however had also pointed out that the Bombay High Court stay order was only interim solution and the legality of the advisory was still to be decided upon, calling on the government to wait for the final verdict of the Court.

Earlier the Bombay High Court, after a split ruling by a preceding bench of the Court had been undecided of the legality and validity of the government advisory and had then passed a stay order on it to allow the Court more time to further examine the matter. The High Court had been deliberating on petitions filed by the Vital Nutraceuticals and Indian Drug Manufacturers’ Association seeking the withdrawal of the said advisory.

Tobacco products seized

The police on Wednesday seized tobacco products from a shop near Kodungallur. The shop owner Suresh was arrested and more than 300 packets of tobacco products were seized.