DINAMALAR NEWS

HC reserves order on plea seeking ban on junk food in schools

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court today reserved its order on a plea seeking an immediate ban on junk food and carbonated drinks in all unaided and private schools after the amicus curiae strongly advocated for a complete stop.

“We will consider the matter and pass an appropriate order,” a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice R S Endlaw said.

During the hearing, advocate Sanyat Lodha, appearing as an amicus curiae in the case, suggested that it would be proper if there is a complete ban of junk food and aerated drinks in and around school premises.

Counsel for petitioner Uday Foundation said that the draft guidelines prepared by the expert committee on the issue are very theoretical and in all likelihood these will be difficult to implement them. He also sought that the word ‘junk food’ specifically be defined by the court in its order on the matter.

To this, the bench said there seems to be no mechanism for the implementation of the guidelines. “We will enforce this through a judicial order.”

On February 18, the court had sought suggestions from various stakeholders on draft guidelines of an expert committee on regulation of sale of junk food and aerated drinks in and around school premises.

Amicus curiae Lodha had submitted his suggestions on the draft guidelines of the expert committee appointed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

The expert group constituted by the court in its report had came out with a slew of guidelines on the subject of “making available quality and safe food in schools” and suggested that food high in fat, sugar and salt content be restricted in schools and area “within 50 metres”.

The report had said the kids are not “the best judge of their food choice” and moreover, the schools are not the right place for promoting such food.

It had termed “chips, fried foods, sugar sweetened carbonated beverages” as junk food and suggested that “the school managements must ensure regulation of such food through canteen policies that promote healthy, wholesome and nutritious food...”

The report also said there are food items such as ‘samosa’ and other fried items and a nationwide programme can be started to find out as to which can be termed as junk food.

The panel also felt that a canteen policy to provide nutritious food in schools should be framed to ensure that such canteens are not treated as “commercial outlets”.

HC reserves order on plea seeking ban on junk food in schools

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday reserved its order on a plea seeking an immediate ban on junk food and carbonated drinks in all unaided and private schools after the amicus curiae strongly advocated for a complete stop.

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday reserved its order on a plea seeking an immediate ban on junk food and carbonated drinks in all unaided and private schools after the amicus curiae strongly advocated for a complete stop.

"We will consider the matter and pass an appropriate order," a bench of Chief JusticeG Rohini and Justice R S Endlaw said. During the hearing, advocate Sanyat Lodha, appearing as an amicus curiae in the case, suggested that it would be proper if there is a complete ban of junk food and aerated drinks in and around school premises.

Counsel for petitioner Uday Foundation said that the draft guidelines prepared by the expert committee on the issue are very theoretical and in all likelihood these will be difficult to implement them.

He also sought that the word 'junk food' specifically be defined by the court in its order on the matter.

To this, the bench said there seems to be no mechanism for the implementation of the guidelines. "We will enforce this through a judicial order." On February 18, the court had sought suggestions from various stakeholders on draft guidelines of an expert committee on regulation of sale of junk food and aerated drinks in and around school premises.

Amicus curiae Lodha had submitted his suggestions on the draft guidelines of the expert committee appointed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The expert group constituted by the court in its report had came out with a slew of guidelines on the subject of "making available quality and safe food in schools" and suggested that food high in fat, sugar and salt content be restricted in schools and area "within 50 metres".

The report had said the kids are not "the best judge of their food choice" and moreover, the schools are not the right place for promoting such food. It had termed "chips, fried foods, sugar sweetened carbonated beverages" as junk food and suggested that "the school managements must ensure regulation of such food through canteen policies that promote healthy, wholesome and nutritious food..."

The report also said there are food items such as 'samosa' and other fried items and a nationwide programme can be started to find out as to which can be termed as junk food. The panel also felt that a canteen policy to provide nutritious food in schools should be framed to ensure that such canteens are not treated as "commercial outlets".

Renewal of Food Safety & Regulation (Prohibition) Act hangs fire in Isles

Port Blair

25 Feb 2015

Gutka, Pan, Cigarettes, etc. are easily available in streets, road side shops which mostly attract school or college going students, especially teenagers. The young generation is addicted to these things because of their easy availability, thanks to the lax enforcement of law. Many states in India have already banned the sale of tobacco products.

The Food Safety and Regulation (Prohibition) Act 2011 allows tobacco products such as gutka to be banned for a year, which can be renewed every year. According to reports, this act which was also implemented in A&N Islands expired in November 2014 and has not been renewed thereafter. “The manufacturing and selling of such tobacco products should be banned all over the country as these products are creating health hazard like cancer and other ailments but shopkeepers are still selling the tobacco products like gutka, pan masala, etc. to the teenagers without any restraint,” say experts.

According to sources, the Food Safety department has already taken up with the A&N Administration the matter of renewal of Food Safety and Regulation (Prohibition) Act for another one year period but it has not been approved yet. As such the new ban order has not been implemented in these Islands. While Gutka, pan masala, etc. come under the food safety Act, cigarette, biddi, etc. are not covered by it. According to Cigarette and Other Tobacco Product Act (COTPA), smoking of tobacco in public places is strictly prohibited. Tobacco products cannot be sold to any one below the age of 18 years, and within 100 metres radius from the outer boundary of an educational institution, which includes schools and colleges. This Act also gives power to all Gazetted officers include police officer, not below the rank of a sub-inspector or any officer of State Food or Drug Administration or any other officer, holding the equivalent rank not below the rank of Sub-Inspector of Police for search and seizure of premises where tobacco products are produced, stored or sold, if he suspects that the provision of the Act has been violated.

Food safety control room set up

Public urged to desist from consuming unsafe items such as cotton candy

The Food Safety Department has opened a Food Safety Control Room at Attukal in connection with the Pongala festival.

Anupama T.V., Food Safety Commissioner, inaugurated the control room, which may be contacted for any complaints regarding food safety. A toll-free line — 1800 425 1125 — has also been set up.

Officials said those who intended to offer free food to devotees or open temporary food stalls would need prior permission from the control room. They should also register with the department. Details were available over the telephone number: 89433 46527 or from any of the Akshaya centres in the city, through which registration was possible. The sale of juices, ice creams, and other food items, laced with artificial colours and flavours, had come to the notice of the Food Safety officials, the press release said. The department had asked all hoteliers, traders, and temporary food stall operators to desist from such practices. Any violation could lead to fines of up to Rs.5 lakh and imprisonment up to six months, they said. The public should desist from consuming such food items, especially ice creams, ice cones, and cotton candy.

The toll-free number is 1800 425 1125

Registration must for food vendors

Seminar on safe water and food

Four varieties of vegetables found to be contaminated

The Laboratory and Technical Division (LTD) attached to the Cashew Export Promotion Council of India (CEPCI) here is organising a seminar on safe water and food at the CEPCI conference hall on February 28.

The seminar will be inaugurated by A.K. Mini, assistant food safety commissioner, Kollam.

Principal scientist of the LTD V.P. Potty said here on Wednesday that the seminar was aimed at promoting awareness of the need to avoid using water and food that were harmful for human health. He said that such food and water was the source of many diseases such as cancer.

Dr. Potty said that as per tests carried out by the LTD, four varieties of vegetables sold in Kollam had been found to be highly contaminated with organophosphorus pesticides. They are green chillies, curry leaves, cabbages, and bitter gourds. The chemical erythrocin was being rampantly used to give artificial colour and taste to watermelons and coal tar dyes were also used to give vegetables an artificial fresh look, he said.

But all such food was extremely harmful and people had to be aware of the safety levels of the food they consumed. He said that the seminar was being conducted in public interest.

The LTD, established in 1997 with Government of India funding, had the facility to conduct microbiological tests to identify such chemicals in food and water, he said.

CEPCI chairman Shahal Hassan Musaliar said that the LTD was a major laboratory in the country for food analysis. It was accredited to the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL).

He said that as per the Food Safety Act, all food stuff, agricultural products meant for human consumption, and drinking water had to be tested and certified by an NABL-accredited laboratory before being sold in the market.