School students may find it hard to digest but Punjab Child Rights Commission has ordered a complete ban on the junk food served in schools. To keep an eye on the same, the panel has constituted various committees that will monitor the prohibition all across the State.
“It is a matter of concern,” said panel chairman Sukesh Kalia on Thrusday while expressing concern over the deterioration in the health of schools children especially with consuming unhealthy and unhygienic junk food.
Kalia, giving details about the idea of imposing prohibition, said that such type of food was a direct threat to health of the children who were heading towards hypertension, diabetes, obesity and mental stress.
“These diseases and childhood obesity have been reportedly found to affect the cognitive and physical development of children adversely, causing an irreparable loss to the society,” he added.
Commission’s chairman said that the Child Rights Commission has taken the cognizance of the matter under section 13(1) (f) and (k) of Commissions for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005.
“The Commission has taken adequate measures to ensure complete safety in consumable items being delivered to the school going children. The Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) has also given guidelines to provide healthy, hygienic and nutritive food to the school children as per the laid down norms,” he said.
Kalia said that it is required that undertaking be sought from all private schools declaring that junk food or food high in fat, salt, sugar (HFSS) was not being served in their schools.
He added that for the forceful implementation of FSSAI guidelines, the Commission has constituted state level committees to keep a close surveillance on the schools providing food to children and initiate action against those defying the government directive.