K'taka to act against more carbonated drinks

Bangalore, Aug 22: The Karnataka Government has found that two more aerated drinks contained pesticides above the permissible level and proposed to file cases against the company in the next few days, Health Minister R Ashok disclosed today.

Talking to reporters here he said the Government had tested the drinks at laboratories and confirmed the presence of pesticides.

Karnataka had already banned the sale of aerated drinks in educational institutions, hospitals, both Government and private, temples, in property leased out by the Religious and Charitable Endowments department and during Government programmes. Besides, the Government had filed a case against soft drink giant Coca Cola in the Small Causes court here after its drinks were found to contain Malthene over and above the permissible level.

Mr Ashok said the Government planned to test packaged mineral water too in the coming days and take action against the companies which violated health norms.

The department had received many complaints about sale of soft drinks in schools, colleges and hospitals despite the ban, he said, warning that strict legal action would be taken against them.

Mr Ashok said the Government would not go back on its decision to enforce a complete ban on carbonated dirnks in the State. The Government would get a feedback from the Kerala Government, which had already banned the drinks, before introducing the Statewide ban.

He said the Government proposed to introduce a new health insurance scheme for landless labourers and the modalities would be worked out next week.

UNI