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BHU ban on cola drinks a godsend for fruit-sellers

Varanasi, Aug 7: A blanket ban on the consumption and sale of cold drinks on the sprawling Banaras Hindu University (BHU) campus here has meant a body blow to the business of the two cola giants, but brought smiles back to the faces of fruit-sellers.

Both the cola companies daily sold cold drinks worth Rs 12,000 to 15,000 on the BHU campus.

The blanket ban on the sale and consumption of cola drinks on the BHU campus has meant a significant annual loss to both the cola companies to the tune of anything between Rs 30 to Rs 40 lakh, claimed Rambodh Singh, who is one of the suppliers of cold drinks in canteens and street-side stalls on the varsity campus.

While the BHU ban is bound to mar the bottom line of cola makers, it has served a godsend for fruit-sellers.

''Following the ban on sale of cola drinks, the students have now shifted their preferences towards fresh fruit juices and cold coffee. Besides, the demand for frothing Lassi and even packed milk has jacked up,'' said R D Tyagi, owner of one of the shops offering refreshment to students outside the BHU Vishwanath temple.

''The sale of fresh fruit juice fetches us more profit in comparison to cola drinks. Following the pesticide controversy the consumption of cola drinks had declined drastically on the university campus. The recent blanket ban has boosted our business with more and more students now going for fruit juice subsequently helping us to improve profitability,'' Mr Taygi maintained.

The administration of the Asia's biggest residential varsity has from August one last banned the consumption, sale and availability of junk food, cola and carbonated drinks, besides all types of tobacco products in pursuance of a University Grants Commission (UGC) directive.

''Acting on a UGC directive circular was issued by the BHU registrar Natrajan Sunderam on July 25 last to ban the consumption and sale of cold drinks on both North and South campus of the univertisty at Varanasi and Mirzapur respectively. We are consulting experts at the Law Faculty to cancel the cola selling licenses of shops and canteens selling carbonated drinks on the varsity campus as well as schools and colleges affiliated to BHU,'' Chairman of BHU Press, Publication and Publicity Cell chief Rajesh Singh said here today.

The ban on consumption and sale of junk food, carbonated/cola drinks as well as tobacco products was imposed by BHU in pursuance with a UGC directive prompted by Union Health and Family Welfare ministry observations that growing consumption of such products among young and adolescent population in schools and colleges is contributing to the growth of chronic degenerative non-communicable diseases such as obesity, hypertension, cardio-vascular problems, diabetes, stroke and cancer.