June 18: NEWS FLASH
- Posted by CERC India
- Posted in JUNE
No plan to ban junk food advts on cartoon channels
Govt. clears the air Â
There were news reports recently that the government proposes to impose a ban on telecast of junk food and soft drinks advertisements on cartoon channels on television. Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani cleared the air and said that “presently there is no such proposalâ€.
However, the government said that nine major food business operators have decided not to advertise products with high fat on children’s channels. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, minister of state, I&B Ministry, said in Parliament that companies, including giants like Hindustan Unilever and Nestle, have agreed to refrain from such advertisements on cartoon channels. Childhood obesity is a rising problem that has caused widespread concern among parents and the authorities.
Towards healthy livingÂ
Railways washes linen after every use, except blankets
Management of linenÂ
The Indian Railways washes all bed linen provided to passengers on trains, including bed sheets, pillow covers and towels, after every single use. Only blankets are washed once every two months, said minister of state for Railways, Rajen Gohain. He said sample checking of washed linen is done before dispatch from laundry. If work is unsatisfactory or passengers complain, suitable penalty is imposed.
Last year, CAG reported mass violation of norms and criticized the Railways over management of linen. According to its report, no blankets had been dry-washed in 14 out of 33 selected depots during 2012-2016. In 12, blankets had been washed in intervals of 6-26 months. Linen had been sanitized in only seven.
CAG rap
Britannia pays up for fewer biscuits in packetsÂ
Less weight
 A consumer court in Ahmedabad has asked Britanniato deposit Rs. 25,000 with the Consumer Welfare Fund and to pay Rs. 6,000 to a customer for selling biscuit packets having less weight than that printed on the packet.The court imposed the fine on the company observing that this practice is exploiting consumers.
In the case in question, Lalji Patel purchased six packets of Marie Gold biscuits in July 2012. The net quantity printed on the packets was 122.5 g. He suspected variance in quantity and got it verified with an ISO 9001 laboratory to find that four packets contained less quantity of biscuits with one packet weighing only 104g.
Consumers cheated