Outcry against Coca Cola potable water project

KOCHI: Coming out strongly against the Coca-Cola sponsored potable water programme former Forest Minister Benoy Viswom has said the model of Foreign Direct Investment put forward by the Coca-Cola company is not at all acceptable.“A company which has destroyed the water of an entire land is now promising to sponsor drinking water,” he said at the protest march held at Panampilly Nagar against the Coca-Cola sponsored drinking water programme.The protest march which began at the GCDA Junction in Kadavanthra moved to the Coca-Cola Office in Panampilly Nagar. A number of adivasi women from Plaachimada, social activists and party workers were present.The speakers came out strongly against the UDF Government’s support for the Coca-Cola-sponsored drinking water project in the government hospitals in the state.The activists also came out strongly against the government’s inability to pass the Plachimada Coca-Cola Victims Relief and Compensation Claims Special Tribunal Bill.“If the government fails to pass the Bill in the next three months, we will take over the 46.64 acres of the Coca-Cola land. We will start settlements and farming there. We will also start picketing the vans and buses of Coca-Cola across the state,” said N P Johnson from the Plaachimada Aikyadardya Samithi.