A world without water

[Guest guest]

> Coca Cola challenged in Kerala

>

> By Charles Havilland

> BBC correspondent in southern India

>

> A village council in southern India has given the Indian division of

> Coca Cola two weeks to set out the reasons why its bottling plant in

> the village should not be closed down.

>

>

> Coca Cola has been facing a backlash in India recently

> Villagers, campaigners and a BBC radio programme have alleged that

> the plant in the state of Kerala is drying up local ground water and

> emitting toxic sludge.

>

> For its part, the soft drinks giant strenuously denies the

> allegations.

>

> The case is pitting the village council of Perumatti against perhaps

> the world's biggest brand name.

>

> Hindustan Coca Cola opened its bottling factory there four years ago.

>

> Since then local people have been reported as saying the company has

> soaked up excessive water and that water has turned foul and

> impossible to drink, cook with or bathe in.

>

> Pesticide claims

>

> In July BBC Radio's Face the Facts programme said there were high

> levels of toxic metals in the sludge generated by the plant when

> bottles are cleaned.

>

> Coca Cola insists all its plants are safe and any toxins are within

> legal limits.

>

> With this notice the council is giving the company 15 days to say why

> its plants should not be shut down.

>

> If Coca Cola fails to convince, it will face a closure notice. The

> Kerala High Court will then decide on the legal weight of that notice.

>

> These are bleak times for Coca Cola in India. It and its rival Pepsi

> deny claims made last month by an environmental watchdog that there

> are high levels of pesticide in their Indian-made drinks.

>

> Many people in India have cut down or given up on Cola consumption as

> a result.

 

 

 

 

The media report that Kerala has passed a law yesterday that will ban

the production of all soft drinks by Coca-Cola and Pepsico with

immediate effect.