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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.
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