Kochi: Member of Parliament Maneka Gandhi on Friday accused softdrinks majors' Coca-Cola and Pepsi Cola of "plundering" India's groundwater resources while contributing "little" to the country.
Maneka said the policy planners needed to rethink on the current anti- environment industrialisation model.
Inaugurating a seminar on Core Values as a Strategy for Environmental Conservation, organised by the Kerala Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Maneka said businesses must do an environment audit before starting out on new ventures.
"Everywhere we are seeing rivers being polluted, mangroves and forests cut down and groundwater reserves being depleted in the name of industrialisation. To create wealth for a few, the livelihood of thousands of fishermen and tribals is being sacrificed," she said.
While the cutting down of mangroves will have an adverse impact on fishermen, the cutting down of forestlands will displace tribals.
These "environment refugees" will then land up in the already congested cities, she added.
Claiming that the two multinational softdrink companies were extracting 50 to 60 million litres of groundwater per year, Maneka said that the resources of Plachimada in Kerala were being exploited immensely.
"These companies take our groundwater, put in a pinch of essence imported from the United States and then sell us our water at a price of Rs 12 per bottle," Maneka said.
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