Last week community leaders from Mehdiganj in Norhern India embarked on a hunger strike protesting Coca-Cola's local plant. The move comes three months after the community held a vigil in front of the local Coca-Cola factory.

The community has accused the bottling plant of causing severe water shortages affecting over twenty villages, polluting agricultural land and groundwater with heavy metals (the company's waste was given to farmers as fertilizer until recent government studies proved it hazardous), illegally occupying land, evading taxes and treating workers unfairly.

Coca-Cola reaches peak production capacity during summer months, when the water situation is particularly severe for the area's population.

"It is preposterous that the government can allow a water guzzling company like Coca-Cola to operate freely when thousands of people cannot even meet their basic water needs," said Nandlal Master of Lok Samiti, one of the community groups campaigning against Coca-Cola. "We are demanding that the state government take immediate action to cancel Coca-Cola's license".

Coca-Cola is facing a major crisis in India, with communities across the country holding the company responsible for water shortages and pollution. One of the soft drink giant's largest bottling plants in India, in Plachimada, was shut down in March 2004 because of local pressure.

The protests in India are receiving significant support from abroad, particularly from colleges and universities in the United States and United Kingdom.