In an effort to cut down increasing obesity among collegians, University Grant Commission (UGC) issued circular directing colleges to ban the junk food available in their canteen a while ago. The decision was taken to set new standards for healthy food and make the students' lives better by reducing the obesity levels among them, thus preventing life style diseases which have a direct link with excessive weight. However, even after four months since said circular was released, city canteens are still offering junk food on their menus. Nashik Times takes a review.University Grants Commission issued a circular dated 10/11/2016 banning junk food in all the college canteens across India. It also added that colleges should take action against canteens which fail to comply with the said rule. However, it has been observed that no college in Nashik has taken any step to further cause. On the other hand, UGC has asked colleges to give written clarification about how many canteens in their respective premises were providing junk food and what action colleges have taken against them since the circular was issued.College canteen owners and managers are caught in a dilemma. "The rule says that we shouldn't be providing junk food like pizza and burger to collegians. If we don't comply with that then we will have to face action. However, if we don't provide these food items we will lose our business. Students will go somewhere else and eat the food items. That's why we have decided to keep the items on our menu for now," says a canteen owner (name withheld on request) in a city campus. "I am upset with the decision because it will do more harm than good. If the youngsters want to eat junk food, they will not be restrained by any circular. But this will take a serious toll on our business," he ads in despair.

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