No more junk food near schools, says Karnataka govt

Dept of public instruction and police will crack down on junk food joints around schools

BENGALURU: While the Union Government is considering a ban on the sale of junk food in and around schools, the Karnataka Government has already got into the act. The Department of Public Instruction, in association with the Police Department, no less is planning to crack down on junk food joints near schools. So, if a small vendor tries to sell French fries or burger to students outside school, the cops very will chase him out of sight. And more trouble may follow!

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) released the ‘Food Safety and Standards (Safe Food and healthy diets for School Children) Regulations, 2019’ in New Delhi on Tuesday. The draft regulations emphasises that food with high fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) content cannot be given to children in school canteens or sold within 50 metres of school campuses.

Primary and Secondary Education Minister Suresh Kumar said, this should have been done long ago. “We will take the help of the police to ensure that junk food is not sold near schools. Children tend to buy such food stuff. This has to stop,’’ he asserted.

He also said they are planning to issue a circular to school managements which will insist that parents do not send junk food in children’s lunch boxes. Whether the cops will check tiffin boxes, is not clear though.

Vasudeva Sharma of Child Rights Trust said, “We welcome the decision to ban the sale of junk food. But one has to clearly describe what constitutes junk food. The authorities concerned should create awareness among parents and children and also the vendors,’’ he said.

Pointing out that there is ban of the sale of tobacco products near schools, Sharma also questioned how effectively it has been implemented.

Nutrition consultant Shalini Manglani said there is no concept of ‘junk food’. “It is either junk or food, there is no in between. If it is not available near schools, children will not consume it. The less they see of it, the less they eat. Children are tempted to eat and once they start eating, it is difficult to stop. Instead of buying junk food, one can buy fruits. The policy is a welcome one,” she added.