The Hindu : Water not a private property, says Plachimada Declaration

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jan 24, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Water not a private property, says Plachimada Declaration

By Our Staff Reporter

PALAKKAD, JAN. 23. The "Plachimada Declaration" adopted at the end of the three-day World Water Conference at Pudussery, near here, today said that "Water is the basis of life; it is the gift of nature; it belongs to all living beings on earth. It is not a private property but a common resource for the sustenance of all."

It said water was the fundamental right of man. It had to be conserved, protected and managed. "It is our fundamental obligation to prevent water scarcity and pollution and to preserve it for generations.''

"Water is not a commodity. We should resist all criminal attempts to marketise, privatise and corporatise water. Only through these means we can ensure the fundamental and inalienable right to water for the people all over the world. The Water Policy should be formulated on the basis of this outlook."

The Declaration said the right to conserve, use and manage water was fully vested with the local community. This was the very basis of water democracy. "Any attempt to reduce or deny this right is a crime."

"The production and marketing of the poisonous products of the Coca Cola and Pepsi Cola corporates lead to total destruction and pollution and it also endangers the very existence of local communities. The resistance that has come up in Plachimada, Pudussery and in various parts of the world is the symbol of our valiant struggle against the devilish corporate gangs who pirate our water."

The Declaration, read out by Sukumar Azhikode, well-known literary figure, and Mande Barlow (Canada), author of `Blue Gold,' at the concluding session of the conference called upon Coca Cola-Pepsi Cola to "quit India."

"We, who are in the battlefield in full solidarity with the tribals who have put up resistance against the tortures of the horrid commercial forces in Plachimada, exhort the people all over the world to boycott the products of Coca Cola and Pepsi Cola," the Declaration said.

The concluding session was addressed by the environmental scientist, Vandana Shiva, the Indian Newspaper Society president, M.P. Veerendrakumar, and N.N. Krishnadas, MP, among others.

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