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*Ann Arbor, Michigan, US:* The Coca-Cola Company was put on the
defensive yesterday under the intense scrutiny of students, professors,
and administrators at the University of Michigan. An expansive
six-month-long student campaign came to a head as 11 corporate
representatives were forced to account for Coca-Cola's crimes in
Colombia and India. In Colombia, Coke has been involved in the murders,
threats, displacements, disappearances and attacks of union workers at
its bottling plants. In India, the company has depleted the water
supply, distributed toxic waste to farmers under the guise of
fertilizer, and sold soft drinks containing excessively high levels of
pesticides. Students are demanding that the University of Michigan cut
its $1.3 million contract with the Coca-Cola Company. The campaign at
the University is part of an international student movement in
solidarity with workers in Colombia and farmers in India. Thirteen other
universities have already cut their contracts with Coca-Cola.
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COMPANY FAILED TO FULLFILL CONDITIONS
The Hindu
STAFF REPORTER
PALAKAD:
The perumatti grama panchayath today refused to renew the licence of
Hindustan Coca cola beverages pvt.ltd at plachimada. The panchayath
decision follows an application moved by coca cola on april 13th last.
The panchayath had cancelled the licence of the company on april 7th
2003 on the plea that it had received complaints from local people that
the drawing of huge quantity of ground water by the company had resulted
in wells drying up, causing acute drinking water scarcity in the area.
But the factory managed to function till march 10, 2004 on the strength
of a government order and the stay from the single bench of the Kerala
High court over ruling the civic bodys decisions. On december 16th 2003
a single bench of the High court directed the coke to stop exploiting
the ground water resources of the panchayath and find alternative water
sources for its production needs. though a division bench set aside the
single bench ruling , the stzte cabinet on 17th 2004 directed the
company to stop the operation in view of the acute drought situation in
palakad district. consiquently the units stoped operation on march 10th
2004 but a divisioin bench of the kerala high court had on april 7th
2005 ordered the panchayath to grand licence to the company if it
submitted an applicaion with in two weeks, provided it had with it the
requesit licence issued under the factory acts and the clearance of the
state pollution control board. ( Read more...Collapse ) |
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The Hindu
Palakkad, April. 22 (PTI): Political leaders and social activists
today pledged support to the struggle against the Coca Cola plant at
Plachimada village near here as the agitation demanding closure of the
soft drink unit completed three years today.
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Zee News
April 20, 2005
Jammu, Apr 20: Jammu and Kashmir government today ordered penalty of Rs
1 lakh (Rs. 100,000) to Hindustan Coca Cola, Jammu following recovery of
contaminated soft drink bottles from the local market by a team of
officials from the Department of Legal Metrology (consumer affairs). The
bottling plant of the company at Gangyal would be sealed in case it
failed to pay the penalty charged for supplying unhygienic drinks in the
market, Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Taj
Mohi-u-Din said. On a tip off, a team of the legal metrology wing of the
department, seized the bottles containing foreign material, from the
local market, he said adding the company had also been fined twice
earlier for the same offence. The minister directed the officers to ask
the company management to conduct a survey and lift all the contaminated
stocks from the market within two days. Bureau Report |
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TIRUNELVELI: Soft drink major Coca Cola continues to generate adverse
publicity. The MNC was in the eye of a storm at Plachimada in Palakkad
district of Kerala, where there was stiff opposition to its bottling unit.
The focus has now shifted to Gangaikondan, where a Coca Cola
production unit is fast coming up. The local CPM unit is already up in
arms against the unit, alleging it would deplete the water table in
the region.( Read more...Collapse ) |
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Wilmington, Delaware, US: Strong concerns over Coca-Cola's gross
violations of human rights and depletion of water resources in Colombia
and India dominated the company's annual general meeting on Tuesday,
April 19 in Wilmington, Delaware.
Close to twenty shareholders spoke on behalf of campaigns from India and
Colombia, and Neville Isdell, chairman and chief executive of Coca-Cola,
resorted to ending the meeting rather than hear from fifteen more
shareholders who were still waiting to speak.( Read more...Collapse ) |
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Plachimada Solidarity Committee
Plachimada, Kannimari, Palakkad, Kerla, India
Phone: 9847142513
The struggle by the indigenous people against the exploitation and
pollution of water of Coca Cola Company at Plachimada completes three
years on 22 April 2005. The Anti Coca Cola Struggle Committee and
Plachimada Solidarity Committee have already firmly declared that the
Cola Company, which has obtained permission to extract 500,000 litres
from the High Court, would not be permitted to operate in Plachimada.
On 22 April 2005 an Anti-Cola People's Confluence is being organised
at Plachimada to commence the next phase of intense agitation with
the support of all people.
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By HARRY R. WEBER
AP BUSINESS WRITER
ATLANTA -- The Coca-Cola Co. vowed Tuesday to change the perception of
people who still believe it permits abusive practices abroad, a tough
sell to some shareholders who bombarded the world's biggest beverage
company with questions about human rights and water depletion.
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*Wilmington, Delaware, US:* Students in the United States and the United
Kingdom have made significant gains in the international campaign to
hold Coca-Cola accountable. Student coalitions on college and university
campuses have been focusing efforts to ban the sale of Coca-Cola
products on campuses because of Coca-Cola's adverse human rights, labor
and environmental practices in Colombia and India.
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Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 18:20:29 -0000
From: crbijoy <rights@postmark.net>
Below are translations of some news reports from 'Mathrubhumi'daily
immediately after the high court judgements. This is indicative of the
growing intensity of the protests.
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Agitation Against Coca Cola Intensifies
Palakkad: The protest against coca cola is intensifying in the context
of the permission granted by the High Court to Coca Cola to function.
The protesters are firm that the company would not be allowed to
operate even if the authorities make all the arrangements for its
operation. While appeal against the High Court judgement would be
filed in the Supreme Court, the agitation against coca cola would be
intensified. Activists of AIYF would march to Plachimada Coca Cola
plant on Monday.
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stolngeneration
