The mighty Coca-Cola corporation has given evidence to a small village council in southern India in an attempt to keep open a huge bottling factory, which is threatened with closure following allegations that it is sucking the community dry.
Coca-Cola’s appeal to Perumatty village council in Kerala state did not immediately convince the president of the council, who dismissed the company’s case as ”incomplete and unsatisfactory”, adding that a decision would be made on the future of the plant in 10 days.
Last month the council threatened to cancel Coke’s operating licence, saying the 65 boreholes drilled on its 17ha site were taking up to 3,8-million litres of water a day.
The village, which according to British charity Actionaid was part of a thriving agricultural region until Coca-Cola arrived in 1998, also claims that Coke’s bottle washing involves the use of chemicals that are released without treatment and contaminate the groundwater.
The allegations are denied strongly by Coca-Cola, which on Tuesday submitted scientific studies to the council arguing that there was no evidence of water overuse.
The water situation in the area is recognised as serious, and the company now sends water tankers to supply the minimum needs of villagers. It claims the water shortages are caused by a lack of rain.
The case, which is also being pursued through the Indian courts, has become a cause célèbre for Indian social activists protesting about unacceptable globalisation.
Coca-Cola, which employs more than 250 people on the site, has dismissed its opponents as ”anti-capitalist” activists. — Â