SC notice to govt on soft drinks

The Supreme Court today issued notice to the government on a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a direction to it to regulate and control the contents of soft drinks, which are being promoted through advertisements by manufacturers concealing the health hazards posed by these products to the general public.

The petition, filed by the Centre of Public Interest Litigation, cited various studies conducted all over the world on soft drinks and their contents, which have found that some contents are harmful to human beings.

"It was the duty of the central government to protect its citizens from health hazards. It should take measures to conduct an in-depth study into the contents of soft drinks and tell the public about their harmful effects," the petition said.