Rajasthan bans colas in educational institutions

JAIPUR: The Rajasthan government on Friday banned all brands of soft drinks including Pepsi and Coca-Cola in educational institutions across the state with immediate effect, after a Delhi-based NGO’s findings about high level of pesticide residues in colas.

The ban would continue on sale and consumption of these products inside the campuses of schools, colleges, and universities (also private and semi-aided) unless the courts dealing with such cases declared them fit for consumption, education minister GS Tiwari said. He said as the companies had not put even a label on the bottles, it was necessary to ban these “dangerous products”.

Mr Tiwari said. Referring to the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) report on high level of pesticide content in soft drinks, Mr Tiwari said the manufacturers were required to print “not only dangerous for human consumption, but also the quantity of the residues, if any, on each product’s label.”

Lok Sabha members had demanded ban on nine cold drinks, including Pepsi and Coca Cola, he said adding, this was the first phase of the ban and if required, the soft drinks would be banned in the entire state.

The ban would be prevailing in all educational institutes, including medical and technical colleges and universities and offenders would be punished as per the law under Food and Civil Supply and Adulteration Act, Mr Tiwari said. He said the matter would be taken up by the Cabinet soon.

A ban was also ordered on serving soft drinks in the canteen of the Punjab Assembly from today. It would remain in force till the controversy regarding the harmful ingredients in soft drinks was cleared, secretary of the Assembly, Nachhattar Singh Mavi said.