December 20, 2006 22:32 | NewsPundit / Travel

Banned soft drinks in India

From The Hindu, December 20th, 2006:
"Soft drinks banned within premises of educational institutions, hostels"

The State Government has issued a fresh ban against the sale and distribution of all soft drinks, including Coca-Cola and Pepsi, within the premises of educational institutions and student hostels with effect from December 18 citing "health hazards to children."

Unlike the earlier occasion when high pesticide content was cited as the reason for banning the sale of soft drinks in educational institutions, the Government had now cited health problems such as child obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis and tooth cavities caused by the consumption of soft drinks.

The head of the PepsiCo in India had recently issued a statement that as a matter of policy the company did not promote the sale of carbonated beverages to children aged below 12, the Minister said.

Awesome!

Comments
Thu, Dec 21, 2006, @ 10:00
1- TpL

Imagine if the gov actually focussed on the provision of safe clean drinking water and ah well food for all its citizens and well had a policy for universal education! Cuz quite frankly poverty and the lack of the basics is far more hazardous to kids health in India! Now that would be awesome! Sorry Boris, but India barely addresses nor aims to meet the basic needs of its people but always gets kudos for helping keep the rich kids healthy and away from soft drinks! urgh!


Thu, Dec 21, 2006, @ 12:19
2- Boris

no need to apologise Tracey! I hear ya. I was just impressed that they even bother taking a stand.

Totally agree they have *way* worse problems here.


Thu, Dec 21, 2006, @ 19:43
3- カール

TpL, agreed but it is not that simple as saying they should do this. Do not forget, that it is the country with the second population of the world, and as Boris said with worse problems. There are hundreds of languages, there are hundreds of different cultures which makes even more difficult.


Fri, Dec 22, 2006, @ 2:06
4- TpL

カール, i know, i spent time there, have good friends from there and study that country. India is a country full of the bestest and the brightest of the world, but also a terrible caste class system that is thousands of years old that disables the bestest to be the best people they can be. India has all that it needs to take care of its people, except of course the will and determination to do so. I really do believe it is a question of will! Also, the cultural and linguistic heterogeneity is an asset not a liability and other countries in the region have done way better with less assets.

And quite right boris, taking a stand against the big multinationals is really unprecendented and kudos are well deserved!