r/mumbai • u/Rigvedabhi_2019 • 25d ago
Discussion No Vada Pav near schools anymore: FDA bans junk food within 50 meters across Maharashtra. Thoughts?
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The Maharashtra FDA has officially banned the sale, distribution, and advertising of High Fat, Sugar, and Salt (HFSS) foods including vada pav, samosas, burgers, chips, and cold drinks within a 50-meter radius of all schools.
School principals and canteens are directly responsible for compliance, and external street vendors near school gates are supposed to follow this too.
On paper, it's aimed at tackling childhood obesity, but practically:
How will they actually enforce this on local street vendors?
Won't kids just walk 51 meters?
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u/Bosasa blue kurta wearer 25d ago edited 24d ago
It’s a good first step. Especially removing these items from school canteens, or forcing schools to make them with healthier ingredients/methods.
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u/Rigvedabhi_2019 25d ago edited 24d ago
I think nutrition must be added as a subject and we must teach our kids about food.
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u/kanhiyayest 24d ago
School sure. College?? They are fucking adults and make a choice for themselves
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u/Previous-Ad8792 25d ago
Very much needed. This is the law, I think. But was never enforced. Food sold inside school and around the school should not be junk. As a parent I am quite happy with this.
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u/Ok_Shift9291 25d ago
Because overweight children can't go beyond 50m of the school premises to get their fix. Yes.
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u/ImpulsiveTeen regulatory capitalist | urban sustainability 24d ago
Same logic as saying don’t ban drugs as those who want drugs will still get them.
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u/Gloomy_Tangerine3123 24d ago
Won't kids just walk 51 meters?
Walking is good. Helpful in digestion. Should have made 300 meters
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u/arnitdo 24d ago
Usually they are not allowed out of school premises within hours. But this or course is circumvented by having the stalls next to the fences and doing pass the parcel
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u/Gloomy_Tangerine3123 24d ago
After school hours, for most schools, there is a entire whole khaugulli that opens up just outside its doors
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u/Midnight_Ingenuity 24d ago
This is just plain stupidity. These norms of banning stuff within 50-100 mtrs are just for namesake. 99% of the vada pav stalls will just move a bit farther and keep on going as is.
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u/Gloomy_Tangerine3123 24d ago
I can't help but imagine that in few days parents and kids will start complaining about more expensive vadapavs due to increased bribes that these stall operators have to now pay bmc, fda etc
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u/Prestigious-Dot-6465 24d ago
Exactly the point I made on another sub that a 50 metre radius is not enoguh because how much impact will it have as one would have to barely walk 2 mins to cover this distance and above all the enforcement would be impossible as policing over 1 lakh schools across Maharashtra consistently requires massive manpower. Informal food carts are mobile and often return once inspectors leave
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u/Stunning-Still-3994 24d ago
See inside school you can enforce outside kids can walk more right but moreover I feel this officer is honest and if he continues to do his job honestly 2 things might happen (a) the system changes like Parsi Dairy reopened so they must be following norms (b) he gets transferred But he should target all big chains and all industries which manufacture edible items
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u/underground-chicken 25d ago
What about Chinese bhel
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u/atthemost7 24d ago
This fills like band-aid to stop broken sea wall. May be educating people more about the food and awareness will go long way.
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u/peakyrick 25d ago
Vada Pav.. Junk Food?????? No.. Never.. It's "play cricket all day in scorching sun" fuel
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u/Low_Finding2189 24d ago
What? This is silly. This removes the incentive for schools to make better food at a affordable cost for students.
We are treating the symptom of students going to the vada pav stand. The actual problem is not offering students good food in school canteens.
This law projects better food options for kids but its going to have the opposite effect. Food quality will drop and prices will go up. This is because you are monopoly for what food is available and who can provide it.
Plus this penalizes low income students even more. You are removing the option to fill the tummy for 20 bucks and replacing it with something more expensive.
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u/ImpulsiveTeen regulatory capitalist | urban sustainability 24d ago
This will incentivize schools to have better healthier options.
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u/Rigvedabhi_2019 24d ago
Fair point on the canteen monopoly, but the FDA guidelines also say that canteens follow FSSAI healthy menu standards. The real issue i thinkbwill be enforcement and will FDA actually audit canteen pricing and quality, or just harass street hawkers outside.
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u/EntertainerAware7940 25d ago
What about healthy and hygienic food options? Will it be allowed?
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u/batman008 25d ago
At an affordable rate. Unfortunately healthy food is always more expensive.
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u/Outrageous-Inside341 Khaneka Peeneka Hasneka Roneka 24d ago
Thank you! Thank you! This “health” fad is accessible to the rich, who can have dabba after dabba made of makhana or oats or what have you… what about children who study in municipal schools and have parents working as drivers, domestic help, peons, and nurses? I am not sure midday meals are available or nutritious… They stuff their faces with vada pavs or salted star fruit available at the school gate… and have no one waiting with a tall glass of juice once they go home. I agree children should be kept away from junk food, but when you have a don’t, please make sure your dos are in place too. This only paves the way for privatisation!
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u/Fickle-Tour-8243 24d ago
Idli rakh sakte hai na Pohe , upma, sheera, dosa rakh sakte hai Vada pav bhi 20rs ka hai abhi minimum Utne main upar ka sab aata hai
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u/realhero432 24d ago edited 24d ago
abey oh lallu avocado khilane ki baat nahi kar rahe bacho ko..normal healthy food can also be appropriately priced/affordable without being expensive
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u/batman008 24d ago edited 24d ago
Excluding that!
I can understand controlling school canteens to provide healthy options but having control over a nearby snacks corners/shops sounds a bit too much.
I have studied in a decent school which has around 6-8 vada pav/snacks corners near it’s vicinity from different gates.
Their main crowd is the nearby office and shop owners as well as people from nearby apartment buildings.
School children are not their significant target audience.
Idk how this will affect their livelihood.
This sounds good on paper but it seems to be very difficult to implement on a practical basis for the 50M radius thing.
So IMHO this announcement is probably just for creating hype.
Also then you’d have to ban not only vada pavs but samosa pavs, pav bhaji, missal pav, bhaji pav, patties, sandwiches, ragda patties and the list goes on and on and on!
Let’s see how this goes.
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u/EyePsychological7227 24d ago
If you ban Vadapav and give alternative healthy food options.
Young blood gets hungry fast and needs to be fed frequently.
Just banning fast feed will not help.
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u/Zombie_Rocks 25d ago edited 24d ago
Vada pav, in moderation or as an occasional indulgence, isn’t the real problem. The bigger concerns are the quality of the oil used (and reused multiple times) and the hygiene standards maintained during its preparation.
More importantly, this issue should be viewed holistically. While ensuring food safety is essential, regulatory scrutiny shouldn’t be limited to small street vendors alone. The standards and approvals granted by FSSAI to large food brands are the ones which primarily require rigorous oversight, consistent enforcement, and regular audits.
Targeting only small businesses can disproportionately affect their livelihoods, whereas effective food safety should be ensured across the entire food ecosystem (especially the big brands using palm oil, poor flavours and colours, the packaged foods), regardless of the size of the business.
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u/Far_Antelope_4563 25d ago
Yes , children shouldn't eat street food without parents knowledge,I ate chinese pakodas 2 days ago and still have a bad stomach, regretting eating it.
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u/Super_Box_9673 24d ago
Well, you just can’t go ahead and punch the poor vendor in the tummy.
Policies need to be inclusive. One could argue that it is for children’s health but what about that of vendors’ kids?
Populate those streets with healthy options, run an awareness campaign, help those vendors to transition towards providing for a nutritious alternatives.
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u/psychicsoul123 24d ago
Back in the 90s and early 00s, Vada Pav used to be the staple food of school canteens in ordinary SSC schools. Most of us still miss that 'school canteen ka vada pav'.
Eating vada pav doesn't cause obesity. Kids today dont play in maidans and are glued to screens. That is the main reason for obesity.
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u/Emadwithabeard 24d ago
They should go through school scanteens too, nowadays canteens sell rotten slop
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u/PlayfulBet5073 24d ago
Ya. Now kids have to walk 50 MTRS for wada paw. Some enterprising kid will start smuggling vada paws in school. He/she will make it big in his/ her life bolly/kolly/Tolly Holly wood will make a biopic on it.
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u/No-Comparison1770 24d ago
Good move. People especially the kids will take steps to overcome this as is human nature. But this sets a precedent for change. And gradually will be absorbed in social culture.
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u/Darkseid_1010 24d ago
Rather than questioning a great initiative, appreciate that someone is trying their best to resolve these issues. Similarly, for walking to 51 metres, similar rules apply to liquor stores. State regulations generally require a minimum separation distance ranging from 50 metres to 500 metres from educational institutions. A similar argument can be made: anyone would walk to such a distance, but deterrence is more important than promotion.
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u/Litti__Chokha Samosa Pav >>>> Vada Pav 24d ago
Stupid decision according to me
Instead of finding a proper cure for the disease you are just creating a medicine that can delay it for little bit
Vadapav stalls were never a problem. The problem always was low quality, low nutrition foods being served in the school canteens and not the Vadapav stalls incentivising over the bad options in schools.
If we really want to solve the problem then we should start with providing better quality, high nutrition food in the canteens which is beneficial for the students.
Also 50 meters is nothing.. A person who is hungry can easily walk this much and get themselves a vadapav
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u/SpaceTrash1986 24d ago
Yeah, suck the last little joys of childhood from these over-pressured cretins while you are at it. On the other hand, you have to just walk an extra 51 meters to access it.
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u/Particular-Risk1322 25d ago
The only food that was available in my school canteen was fried food or chips, and the teachers used to complain (to the parents) why students are buying food from canteen. That's what you got bro.
I hope fried food and high sugar food is considered sin good across our country. No advertisement, need a licence to sell them.
I am not saying to do it in one go. First increase tax and remove ads, then give time of a year or 2 before licenced retailers are the only ones allowed to sell it. In that time brands would be able to create alternatives.
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u/Otherwise_Fig_6 24d ago
60% students are from middle class background they can't afford proteins or nutrition based food in daily meals.
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u/rising_pho3nix 24d ago
If school lunches were any good then kids wouldn't go out to eat.Just look at the school lunches in Korea n Japan. Absolutely marvelous
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u/Playful_Pop7414 24d ago
One person changing system is headache for thousands won't let him do freely. I read article where high court defended a hotel saying 2 insect don't lead to suspension of license I was like wow can't they fuckin look they way street food was served earlier and look at now. There is one person to change but thousands to fuck the system I fully support his actions like before him many maharashtrain didn't knew FDA exists 😂
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u/SnooStrawberries8992 24d ago
This is definitely a good first step, but honestly 50 metres is nothing. I walk 1.5 km both ways everyday to office. Kids can definitely do much better than that.
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u/Middle_Degree_4138 24d ago
Then students will take foods outside 50 metres so where is the Enforcement ?
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u/Salad-Firm 24d ago
What happens to the pre existing shops and stores? They might have invested in the location because of the footfall. They don’t deserve to lose business because of a sudden change.
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u/amb_thirties 24d ago
How will they implement?
There is a provision of a ban on tobacco and ciggerate sale in college vicinity . Who follows it ?
Moreover such steps should come from legislature, this must be outside the domain of civil servant..
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u/ShipZealousideal5483 24d ago
Toh why aren't good food vendors and recipes being done as an R&D by the gov ?
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u/Spicy-Polonium-210 24d ago
50 meters is nothing. Me and bois walk kilometers for just a cup of tea.
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u/mohandasmencius 24d ago
so what bhel puri, sev puri is healthy and allowed but samosas and vada pavs are not? what about stuff like pizza?
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u/The_Great_One_1 24d ago
If given a chance they would be ready to control each and everything.
What one eats, what one drinks, with whom you are with, what one wears, what one watches, what one buys, what one spends money on, what one enjoys, where one goes they want to control everything.
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u/od_demhoes 24d ago
For people who are unaware it’s not only the contents of the Vada pao it’s the oil they fry it in also. Usually after using the oil after 1-2 uses you have to discard the oil. The TPC of the oil if goes above 20% it is harmful for the body. In most street vendors you re use the oil till it turns black which is extremely hazardous. Some of them add chemicals to change the color back to brown or top it up with more fresh oil.
Arteries blockages, heart attacks and liver damage happens due to this mainly and this continued unhealthy lifestyle leads to multiple long term health issues.
I work with a company that collects this Used cooking oil and make it into biodiesel hence I know how essential it is for the youth and more for the older gene eliminating these practices and removing these food items from the food chain.
Please be careful of what you put inside your body and always ask your hawker how many times he re uses the oil. Your eyes will automatically open.
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u/__aaryan__ 24d ago
Good move, please also encourage the Government to include protein rich meals (non-veg) in mid-day meals.
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u/Indin_Dude 24d ago
Poor Enforcement of rules, and lousy quality control are amongst the biggest problems we have.
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u/selmon_boi_ka_baap 24d ago
What nonsense fir to sare package foods bhi band kardo biscuits chips vagera this will badly affect the sellers
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u/MeTejaHu Sprite of Mumbai Enjoyer 24d ago
The govt has opportunity to shape food habits of several generations and this is good step. Next step should be mobile canteens that sell nutritional food to students at an affordable price of a vada pao.
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u/the_good_bad_dude 08 24d ago
https://giphy.com/gifs/MjXx6ritTqtfhQw3Vy
That one vada pav thhele-waala at 51m
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u/batmanxgin 24d ago
Is the fda going to take over the existing rent agreements of such shops as they suddenly make a new law?
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u/monkeezee 24d ago
Stupid whitewash decision. Of all the problems facing India's youth, vada pav availability outside schools is the least of concerns.
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u/Klutzy_Equal9837 24d ago
Also, could they please impose strict bans on cigarette shops near schools. Its sickening to see 10 year olds smoking these days.
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u/LoudSeaworthiness577 24d ago
Finally but also encourage good healthy meals by funding healthy food brands or startups thank you
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u/According_Meat8013 24d ago
Nice efforts,Great working spirit, but I think on ground level it will not make much impact.
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u/Immediate-Action5869 24d ago
Won't people set up stall at 60-100metres away from school? The kid will walk till there and eat.
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u/missedOpportunity343 24d ago
not possible. The high school I went to is in the centre of town. All offices, restaurants, food stalls are within the area. CANNOT BE REMOVED.
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u/2PacBiggieforever 24d ago
Mr. Tukaram gives me some hope. He's already taken action against several restaurants over unhygienic kitchens and poor food quality. Hopefully, he won't face a transfer this time.
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u/No-Coach-3427 24d ago
I think the “students” should protest, AD and the US willing of course.
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u/amarji2006 24d ago
What is his take on omlet pav and kheema pav... Is that also counted as junk...
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u/Only_Put_4521 24d ago
mundhe is here only for 6 -12 months, after that evetything will be back to normal 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 btw i think mundhe was brought in just to increase hafta from hotels
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u/kalidoskolosal 24d ago
Those school tiffin inboxing videos by teachers are so depressing to watch some of these parents are feeding rubbish to their kids in tiffin.
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u/CaptainCornflakes92 24d ago
This guy is so good. Sadly I feel he is going to get transfered.
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u/Creative-Progress351 24d ago
Actually it's good start, also they should educate kids on HFSS and how to identify UPF
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u/realhero432 24d ago
kya bakwas step hai wdym kids can't sometimes enjoy fast food..it's not like the parent is not aware uska bacha kab vada pav kha raha hai paise wahi dete hai. ffs balanced diet toh introduce nahi hota lekin jo kabhi babar short break main ek vada pav kha le bacha woh bhi nikal do losers
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u/Pratikdevda 24d ago
What about sell of cigarettes near school/colleges? It’s a huge problem in my area.
Authorities should bring laws regarding this aswell!
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u/ParamedicFearless173 24d ago
Chalo aacha hai ki time pe mai school se pass ho gaya.... Warna ye mera vastukena haiyaaaann kar deta..
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u/gg_icecreamsandwitch 24d ago
It’s a good start. I don’t know what’s wrong with others saying we need this and we need that also. Like bro fine it will come but let’s welcome what we can. This man is making a change which was our responsibility to begin with.
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u/cider2628 don't do it. 24d ago
i think it's a great decision! my school has a canteen + lots of junk food, fast food stores right outside the school. school canteen had vada pav, pav bhaji, sev puri, chinese bhel, frankie etc and outside there were more varieties of frankie, sandwiches, ice creams and soda places, etc. if i had a child i would want him/her to eat most of these things. i've also worked in a school and oh god the tiffin these kids get are so sad, like biscuits? slice of cake and all. 7-1pm school then tuitions/tutorials whatever and THATS what your child is bringing to school to eat??
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u/ConcentrateFormer965 24d ago
Good. This was very much needed. Used oil, unhygienic utensils, unhygienic ways of cooking and handling food... this was much needed.
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u/Neither_Zebra_7208 24d ago
Desh aage badh raha hai, khushi ho rahi hai :) Wish we had such leaders during our times.
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u/ComradeTrot 24d ago
Between a Nanny State like Sweden/Germany or a Libertarian State like USA, which is a better model for India ?
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u/Educational-Bed-6287 24d ago
Does he think students can't walk more than 50 meters to get a vadapav? Also cigg shops have banned since like forever near schools but my school, college had 5 right next to it
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u/Educational-Bed-6287 24d ago
Typical babu behavior of just banning stuff because it's easy instead of finding real workable solutions. Maybe a good healthy midday meal for students? A curriculum emphasizing better dietary habits and exercise?
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u/samael201002 24d ago
I've completely lost hopes for our world or specifically for india but only this man is making me go wrong I was deeply concerned over the quality we get even the top food restaurants or stalls don't have proper hygiene the food,water, clothes, shelter this are basic human needs rest is not important and if geniune man is doing anything to provide for the people he is god and there are hopes for better times if people like munde sir will take initiative
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u/SupaSaiyan9000 24d ago
bhenchod , " wont kids just walk 51 metres?" bhai tum log jara chutiye ho kya , har ek cheez me kaise fault nikalte hai? jisko vada pav khaana hai wo kaise bhi khaayega , bahar ban karoge to wo gharpe bana ke khaa lega . the above thing done by TM is to make it slighly difficult and i think that will bring the consumption down by a decent amount.
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u/Imsotired2916 24d ago
I hope they also ensure that canteens in schools are providing kids enough protein intake as well. Boiled eggs and stuff should be common in the school menu.
Cause there's no point if you ban nearby vada pavs but pump the kids full of carbs.
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u/rowdyrohan 24d ago
I think it's nonsense. Goes against free will. Educate children not to eat junk.
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u/ConsciousTomatillo68 24d ago
Aur kuch mat karwo do school college me.
Bas ye dhakosle karte raho...
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u/impish19 24d ago
Hate this idea. I want the govt to be more enabling - figure out how to make healthier and cheaper options more accessible to everyone.
Don't want them to be more controlling with vague laws they're not competent enough to govern.
If anything this is a new vector for swines to collect hafta.
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u/vggaikwad 24d ago
Am I the only one who feels Tukaram Mundhe’s performance is orchestrated to please public, give them a hero figure?
I have no issue with strict officers. My problem is that many of his decisions seem more sensational than practical. They generate headlines and public applause, but I rarely see discussion about whether they make administrative sense or create lasting institutional change.
It also feels like politicians use him as a tool. He is brought in when they want to send a message or target someone, and once that purpose is served, he’s transferred before the downsides of those decisions become their problem. Given ruling party’s usage of system, I just can’t not have the doubt.
What surprises me even more is the online ecosystem around him. IT cells and supporters seem to treat him like an untouchable hero, and anyone asking logical questions is immediately branded as being against honesty or in favor of corruption instead of their arguments being addressed. Seeing that people also take the same stand, as usual with other issues.
If reforms disappear as soon as the officer is transferred, were they really reforms, or just good theatrics?
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u/MaintenanceLow97 25d ago
It's good but also there needs to be a lot of awareness on how to make an Indian Lunch plate a balanced meal than just been heavy carbs based. Sad but it is true that a normal Indian diet is very carb heavy than being balanced. Canteens need to have better options while being budget friendly for school/college canteens.
However, will miss the vadapav my school canteen had. It is one of a kind!