The Hindu : Coca-Cola to continue operations in State

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 12, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Coca-Cola to continue operations in State

By G. Prabhakaran

PALAKKAD, MARCH 11 . The vice-president of Coca-Cola India, Sunil Gupta, today said that "the company would continue its operations in Kerala despite the temporary suspension of production at its Plachimada unit here due to the ban imposed by the State Government on drawing groundwater and surface water".

Talking to The Hindu here, Mr. Gupta said: "We have a long-term commitment to the people of Kerala. We hope the State Government would explore the possibility of finding a solution to the present problem of water availability due to deficient rain in the last couple of years."

He said the company had embarked upon an ambitious rainwater harvesting project to overcome the water shortage in the area. The project would not only help the company but benefit the community as a whole, he said. A number of water conservation methods were being implemented by the company in co-operation with farmers and other sections of society, he said.

He said the company had already implemented six rainwater harvesting projects covering an area of 40.5 acres. The scheme was expected to have a potential of 1,82,082 kilolitres of water annually. More such rainwater harvesting schemes were being implemented in Chittur taluk to overcome the water shortage in the area. The company was prepared to co-operate with the Government and voluntary agencies to implement water conservation measures and to take up water projects to harness water sources, he said.

He said the company would provide funds to conduct research on `Mandari' disease that affected coconut trees in the State, bringing down the yield considerably. Asked about the company's proposal to start a tender coconut water bottling plant, as announced by its representatives in Palakkad last year, Mr. Gupta said the company was still conducting research to find an apt technology for long shelf-life of bottled tender coconut water.

Mr. Gupta said the company had decided to contribute 10 per cent beneficiary share of the Jalanidhi scheme of the State Government-aided project to provide drinking water supply in rural areas.

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