Ramadoss plans to put curbs on junk food ads

Expressing concern over advertisements showing junk food, including carbonated drinks, Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss sought on Tuesday a policy to check them.

"I will be holding discussions with the Information and Broadcasting Minister (P R Dasmunsi) on this issue soon," the minister told PTI.

Avoiding an answer on whether the ministry was seeking a ban on such advertisements, he said there should be a 'consensus' on such matters.

"There should be a policy on showing such advertisments because

lot of consumers, mostly children, are involved," he said.

Apart from the junk food, he expressed concern over advertisements related to cosmetics, especially fairness creams. Dircetor-General of Health Services (DGHS) R K Srivastava said they are holding a meeting on August 16 with the information and broadcasting ministry.

"One of the issues, which we will be taken up in the meeting, will be on surrogate advertisements," he said. "It is a general meeting, in which we will be discussing lot of issues that concern us," Srivastava said.