|
Home--News
Four Day March Against Coca-Cola in Tamil Nadu Announced
Newindpress
June 11, 2005
TIRUNELVELI: The Tamiraparani and Under Ground Water Protection Committee
will take out a four-day awareness march from Papanasam to Punnaikayal
on July 9 to create awareness among the public about the adverse impact
of the Coca Cola plant coming up at the SIPCOT complex in Gangaikondan.
R Krishnan, Vasudevanalloor former MLA and the organiser of the committee,
told journalists on Friday that water has become a commercial commodity.
Stating that priority should be given to supply of water for drinking
purpose, he said preference should next be given for agricultural
activities and lastly industrial production.
He said the Government had not elicited the opinion of local villagers
before granting permission to the South Indian Bottling Company (SIBC),
a production unit of Coca Cola, to set up its plant at Gangaikondan.
He also charged the Government with not giving due consideration to
the adverse impact the plant will have on the environment.
He alleged that there will be depletion of groundwater in the area
if the plant is allowed to come up.
While SIPCOT was set up to promote small industries and open up employment
opportunities in the southern districts and thereby reduce communal
tension in these parts, he said that neither was the SIBC, an automated
plant, a small scale unit, nor could it generate much employment.
If the company is allowed to commence operation, agricultural activities
in a radius of nearly 20 km from the plant will be adversely hit.
He said that the Committee will create awareness on all these issues
during the march, that will start from Papanasam - the origin of Tamirabarani.
The march will end at Punnackayal where the Tamirabarani joins the
sea.
The Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), All India Insurance
Employees Association (AIIEA), farmers, teachers and members of 42
NGOs will participate in the march that would cover Ambasamudhram,
Prancheri Cheranmahadevi, Karungulam, Srivaikuntam and Athur.
FAIR USE NOTICE. This document contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. India Resource Center is making this article available in our efforts to advance the understanding of corporate accountability, human rights, labor rights, social and environmental justice issues. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
|
