Untitled Document

BAN COKE-PEPSI

Citizens Movements, Scientists and Parliamentarians Condemn the Health Minister Protecting the Cola Giants Instead of People’s Health Parliamentarians, Scientists and Citizens Movements have condemned the statement of the Health Minister in Parliament yesterday, giving a clean chit on safety to the cola campaigns on the basis of a Coca Cola sponsored study.

Mr. M.P. Veerenderkumar, Member of Parliament released his letter to the Health Minister, objecting to the way Parliament was not allowed to debate the issue, and objecting to how the Government is bending under U.S threats and corporate manipulation to protect the Cola giants.

While the Minister was giving false assurances in the Parliament on the safety of Coke and Pepsi, “Coke Pepsi Quit India” Campaign intensified actions for a ban on Coke and Pepsi. Hundreds of thousands of citizens and children participated in actions on “Ban Coke Pespi Day” (22nd August, 2006) which is the beginning of an intensive campaign to spread and consolidate bans by Institutions and State Governments. Protests were organized at Coke and Pepsi plants, movement of trucks was blocked in many places and rallies and public meetings issued resolutions to the President of India and the Chief Justice of India.

Prof. Banwari Lal Sharma of Azadi Bachao Andolan who marched with 10000 students in Allahabad, said the movement for creating “Coke Pepsi Free Zones”, which has already covered more than 10,000 institutions will continue till all of India is Coke Pepsi free. In November, 2006 nationwide actions for blockades, bans will be undertaken.

In the name of selling cold drinks and enjoyment, Coke and Pepsi are selling hazardous chemicals and pesticides, destroying our precious ground water, spreading pollution and siphoning millions of dollars out of the country.

The pesticide issue is not the only issue of the fight against Pepsi and Coke. Even without pesticides they are toxic and slow poisons. This is why they have been banned in schools in America. These drinks contain hazardous chemicals like Phosphoric Acid, Ethylene Gycol, Caffeine, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Carbon dioxide, which produce osteoporosis (weak bones), diabetes, cancer, obesity etc.

Mr. Prashant Bhushan, Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court who has filed a petition against Coke and Pepsi called soft drinks a “toxic brew” unfit for human consumption.

Mr. Dunu Roy of the Hazards Centre presented the study done with People’s Science Institute on pollution by Coke which confirmed the Pollution Control Board findings of cadmium and lead in their sludge which are proven to be cancer causing elements. Each of their 90 plants draws 1.5 to 2 million litres of ground water per day.

Dr. Mira Shiva, Chair Person of Ministry of Health Task Force on Food Safety said the hazardous affects of soft drinks have been identified by WHO as a key element in the chronic disease epidemic of obesity and diabetes. She also stated that it is important a focus on the cumulate impact of toxics and pesticides in Coke Pepsi.

Dr. Vandana Shiva, Director of Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology and Co-Convenor of the “Coke Pepsi Quit India” campaign said nothing less than a ban will do. To ban or not ban Coke and Pepsi cannot depend on one Minister under the influence of the U.S Government and U.S Corporations. It cannot depend only on “standards” set by corrupt and manipulated Government agencies. “Coke and Pepsi are committed crimes against nature and people,” said Dr. Shiva. “They are raping the earth by mining aquifers, they are slowly poisoning our children by selling toxics. And there is no “safe standard” for rape or murder”.

We welcome the Kerala Governments ban on the Colas as well as the bans by other States of the sale of soft drinks in and around educational institutions. We condemn the interference of the United States in these bans. We are also disappointed that while Coke and Pepsi have been banned in the Parliament Canteen over the past three years, the Union Government is failing in its duty to respond to public sentiment and public demand and is instead protecting the Corporations.

Coke and Pepsi are trying to divert attention from themselves by making the media focus on pesticides in other foods. Even without pesticides Coke and Pepsi are toxic to health and should be banned on health grounds. The solution to pesticide contamination is pesticide free organic agriculture. Contrary to the myth propagated by the chemical industry, organic farming has higher productivity and higher returns for the farmer than chemically intensive agriculture, which is pushing our farmers into debt and suicide.

The pesticide problem in food can be solved by promoting organic farming and consumers eating organic food. The toxic problem of Coke and Pepsi can only be solved by a BAN.