The Hindu : Kerala News : Coca-Cola firm gets nod for drawing groundwater

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Friday, Apr 08, 2005

Kerala

Kerala

Coca-Cola firm gets nod for drawing groundwater

By Our Staff Reporter

KOCHI, APRIL 7. A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court today held that the Coca-Cola company will be entitled to draw 5 lakh litres of groundwater a day from its plant at Plachimada in Palakkad without any right for accumulation in case of non-use.

The Bench comprising Justice M. Ramachandran and Justice K.P. Balachandran made it clear that the restrictions imposed for the company's consumption would not be applicable when water is drawn for additional requirements such as supply of water to people in the area. The court directed that the company should involve in community development projects such as healthcare and supply of water for people in the area.

The court was of the view that since the general public was apprehensive about water shortage, it became an essential duty of the company. Water supply should be undertaken before June 30.

Renewal of licence

The court held that the Perumatty Grama Panchayat was not justified in rejecting the company's application for renewal of licence well before a scientific assessment was made.

The court observed that the drying up of ordinary wells was not a phenomenon specific to Plachimada. As could be gathered from the expert committee appointed by the High Court, shortage in rainfall was a contributory factor. By natural seepage during the rainy season, water travels down to the lower reaches. The committee had explained this as a process of recharging groundwater. The expert committee headed by E. J. James, Executive Director, Centre for Water Resources Development and Management, Kozhikode, was appointed to probe the allegation of excessive drawing of groundwater by the company. In its final report, the committee recommended that the company be allowed to draw 5 lakh litres of water a day under the normal rainfall conditions.

The court directed the panchayat to consider the application of the company seeking renewal of licence for the coming year or any block years if such application was filed within two weeks.

The court said that the fact that wells were drying up at Plachimada in summer, notwithstanding stoppage of extraction of water by the company after March 2004 and keeping the plant idle, had led to the assumption that the allegations of over-exploitation and consequent shortage of water were not true.

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