Live
- Cabinet approves Rs 1,000 crore VC fund to propel space sector, boost employment
- Vadodara fee regulation committee approves 5 pc hike for 76 schools
- Nigerian President reshuffles Cabinet
- Centre Gives Nod For Construction of Amaravati Railway Line
- Sensex ends flat, Hindustan Unilever among top losers
- Adani Total Gas clocks 7 pc jump in net profit at Rs 186 crore in Q2, revenue up 12 pc
- 2nd Test: Washington picks career-best 7-59 as India bowl out NZ for 259
- Priyanka Gandhi bullish on PSU stocks, relies on govt companies for returns
- Israel strikes Hezbollah weapon facilities in Beirut's southern suburb: IDF
- SC declines to initiate contempt action against UP officials for defying freeze on demolitions
School signboard promotes soft drink
In what could be termed as a foolhardiness of the education department, a school signboard in Khammam district carries a soft drink promotion logo. At a time when there was a dire need for creating awareness on the ill-effects of soft drinks among the people, especially the school-going children.
Khammam: In what could be termed as a foolhardiness of the education department, a school signboard in Khammam district carries a soft drink promotion logo. At a time when there was a dire need for creating awareness on the ill-effects of soft drinks among the people, especially the school-going children, the signboard of the Upper Primary School of Ootlapalli village under Aswaraopet mandal is promoting a soft drink, Pepsi.
Hitherto, we have seen the soft drink companies promoting their business through supplying signboards carrying their product advertisements along with the names of general stores, bakeries, dhabas, hotels etc. who sell the cola drinks. Now they make way to school signboards, it appears if one goes by the Ootlapalli school signboard.
It may be mentioned here that a laboratory report prepared by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) found some astonishing facts about the extent of pesticide contamination in soft drinks sold in India. It was found that high levels of toxic pesticides and insecticides are potential threat to cause cancer.
Referring to the GO No: 921 issued on August 9, 2006 that banned sale of soft drinks near educational institutions, the Jana Vignana Vedika state treasurer Alavala Nageswar Rao said: “It’s unfortunate that schools that were supposed to impart a quality education and inculcate good behaviour are promoting such kind of habits.”
“Carrying a cola company’s logo on a school signboard is uncalled-for, despite the fact that advertisements are creating such a consumerist society that more harm is done than good for the people,” G Subba Rao, a private company employee, whose son is studying in the Ootlapalli school.
Speaking to The Hans India, Khammam District Education Officer (DEO) N Rajesh said: “I am not aware of any such signboard of a school carrying a soft drink logo. Anyway, it’s better to know the facts before commenting.” Further he said that it may be a case of some business establishments, who sponsor the signboards usually carry their logo to promote their products.
