The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Strategy to enforce ban on junk food in schools soon

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Monday, Sep 29, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Strategy to enforce ban on junk food in schools soon

Staff Reporter

‘A law exists, and we’ve to take steps to implement it’

‘Awareness must before law is implementated’
People urged to cooperate with Government

BANGALORE: Junk foods and aerated drinks, a popular choice of the youth today, could disappear from the shelves of college canteens shortly. Primary Education Minister Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, on Sunday, said that the State Government would soon implement the ban on sale and consumption of such products on school and college campuses.

Speaking to The Hindu on the sidelines of an awareness programme for children organised by the Cardiological Society of India to mark World Heart Day, the Minister said the Education Department would evolve a strategy and implement the ban in coordination with the Home and Health departments.

“Though the law exists, we have to take steps to implement it. Before implementation, awareness should be created among students about the ill-effects of junk food.

“The sale of such products can be stopped on school premises. But, what if the child brings it from home and eats it in school?” he asked.

Urging people to actively cooperate with the Government in implementing the ban, the Minister said that children should be prevented from consuming junk food, and an awareness campaign should be taken up.

Mr. Kageri said that the State Government had banned sale of aerated drinks and junk food near educational institutions, government offices and hospitals following a report by the Centre for Science and Environment that said they contained pesticide residue.

But, the ban has not been strictly enforced so far, he added.

Value-based education

Earlier, speaking at the programme, the Minister said that the Government would give priority to value-based education in the coming days. “Though we have incorporated lessons on values and moral science in the syllabus, we will add more lessons on health and risk factors in the coming years,” he said.

The Minister also administered oath to over 200 students from various schools and colleges that they would not smoke, drink or chew tobacco when they grow up. “I have not consumed ghutka, alcohol or even smoked in my life till now. I want you also to follow the same, as these things are injurious to our health,” he said.

I.B. Vijayalakshmi of Children’s Heart Care Centre at the Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology made a detailed presentation to the students on how to protect their heart. K.S.S. Bhat from the Manipal Heart Foundation explained to the students the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) theme for this year’s World Heart Day “Know your risk.”

Listing out the risk factors, the doctor advised the students the dos and don’ts to have a healthy heart. The programme was co-sponsored by Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum.

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