Colleges may ban colas in Gujarat

Though the ministry of health and family welfare has given clean chits to Coca-Cola and Pepsi, more than 150 educational institutions across Gujarat will ban these drinks in their campus from Friday.

Vice-Chancellor of Gujarat University A U Patel has drafted a circular banning sale of soft drinks in the premises of all the 216 colleges under the university.

Also Read The Cola Row: Complete Coverage

The circular was set to be dispatched to principals of all these colleges on Friday morning, but it may be cancelled following Thursday's development.

Following a high-level meeting, Vice-Chancellor of South Gujarat University Prem Kumar Sharda issued a circular to all the 125 colleges affiliated to his university, asking them to stop selling soft drinks in the campus.

Saurashtra University with over 25 colleges, North Gujarat University, with over 20 colleges and Bhavnagar, University has issued similar circulars.

Sales of Coke, Pepsi and other aerated drinks have come down drastically in the canteens of the Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad (IIM-A) and the Nirma Institute of Management (NIM).

"Looking at all that has happened in the past few weeks, a decision had to be taken in the larger interests of the students," SGU Registrar V D Naik said.

The SGU vice-chancellor also warned of tough action against any college that failed to follow the directive. But he was not available for comments today after the cola majors were cleared by the Centre.

Dharam Kambalia, senate member of Saurashtra University, said: " We are thankful to the vice-chancellor for banning soft drink sales in our university campus."

"We have not yet banned sale of Coke, Pepsi or any other soft drink in our canteen as officially we are yet to issue any order," said Anup Singh, director of the Nirma Institute of Management.

But students confided that soft drink sales in the institute's canteen had come down drastically and most of the students were opting for tea or coffee. Tetra-packed drinks like flavoured milk and lassis are also making their way into the campus.

"I do not know whether the cola brands contain pesticide, but after reading so much about them, I do not feel like having them any more. I wish Amul started selling its bottled lassi in our canteens," said a student of NIM.

"I was ready with the circular banning the sale of soft drinks in all the 216 colleges affiliated to my university, and we were supposed to implement it tomorrow. But I just came to know that the government has given a clean chit to Pepsi and Coke. Now I am confused whether I should go ahead with the ban or not," said the vice-chancellor of Gujarat University.

Sanjay Verma, warden of IIM-A hostels, said: "We have left it to the students to decide what is best for them." But an employee of the private contractor running the canteens at IIM-A, said: "Sales have dropped significantly after the controversy broke out."

Interestingly, the century-old M S University of Vadodara has decided to refrain from policing cola sales, but put up a notice in front of the university's main canteen, saying, "Drink it at your own risk." Perhaps, that is the safest way to act.