Mumbai, July 30 -- In an aggressive crackdown on childhood nutritional hazards, Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has ordered a strict statewide ban on the sale, advertisement, and free distribution of junk food inside schools and within a 50-metre radius of all educational campuses.
Targeting more than two crore students across over 1.08 lakh schools, the sweeping directive draws a line against high-fat, high-sugar, and high-salt (HFSS) items.
Popular local campus favorites-including deep-fried snacks like vada pav and samosas, alongside chocolates, ice creams, and carbonated beverages-are now officially outlawed from school canteens, tuck shops, hostels, and surrounding local vendors.
The restri...