Boston, Sept. 22 - The High Court of India's Kerala state overruled a state-wide ban on Coca-Cola production and sales today.
The ban was issued last month after the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) found pesticides in Coke and Pepsi soft drinks. People in India and around the world praised government officials in Kerala for taking action to protect people's health over corporate profits. As the Kerala High Court reverses the ban, activists around the world are voicing concern about the court ruling.
"This is a very unfortunate ruling," says R. Ajayan of the Plachimada Solidarity Committee in Kerala, India. "No matter what the court decides, the people of Plachimada will continue the struggle until victory and keep Coke's bottling plant closed."
Coke's Plachimada plant is one of many in India criticized for draining so much water that communities' wells have run dry and water quality has deteriorated. Coke has launched a major PR campaign to try to protect its image. The campaign has included appearances by London scientists and expensive advertisements. One such ad made reference to the World Health Organization, which prompted a formal objection from the United Nations' health agency. The U.S. Under Secretary for International Trade Franklin Lavin even sent a letter to the Kerala Commerce Secretary, defending Coke and Pepsi's interests.
"In the past, Coke has gotten away with these dangerous practices because of its tremendous political clout," explains Corporate Accountability International Executive Director Kathryn Mulvey. "But more and more people around the world are rejecting Coke's irresponsible and dangerous actions."
"Coke is profiting at the expense of people's health and the environment," says Tony Clarke, Director of the Canada-based Polaris Institute. "We stand behind the communities in India telling Coke they can't get away with it anymore."