TIRUNELVELI: The judges of the Madurai bench of the Madras high court should have themselves inspected the water situation at river Thamirabarani before allowing the franchisees of cola majors, Coke and Pepsi, companies draw water from the river, said the CPI (M) politburo member, Ms. Brinda Karat. Coming down heavily on the State government machinery for misleading the court in the case challenging Thamirabarani water to the co-packers of Coke and Pepsi at Gangaikondan Sipcot complex in Tirunelveli two months ago, Ms. Brinda Karat added, “It’s a matter of deep regret as the High court accepts the (false) report of the state government and pronounced its verdict in favour of the soft drink companies.” ‘The learned judges at least now should come and see for themselves the river to understand the ground reality,” suggested the CPI (M) leader. She cautioned that if that did not happen, the farmers would be forced to take their own decision “at the people’s court in the issue”.
The CPI (M) leader addressing the farmers and public on the banks of river Thamirabarani in Tirunelveli, called upon them to stand united against the two franchisees of the MNC soft drink companies at Gangaikondan, as did the villagers of Plachimada in Kerala, where unable to withstand the people’s wrath, Pepsi finally closed down its unit.
Further, demanding the cancellation of license to the co-packers of Coke and Pepsi at the Gangaikondan Sipcot complex, Brinda Karat wanted a stringent law against the governments taking unanimous decision of permitting companies to use the natural resources without the consent of the people, who as a community own those resources for generations together.
