Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Another Long Post

I did not intend to write on the cola controversy, primarily because the public memory is, unfortunately, so short.
But the US warning to India, that this cola ban will impact US investment in India, really got the blood boiling.
Read about the threat here:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1891049.cms
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4789615.stm

It took a lot of research to come out with this, and you are welcome to point out if I am wrong anywhere. My memory was not so short after the last controversy and I have religiously monitored reports of what Coke is doing with its neighborhood and the water in particular.

Therefore, Mr. President and the general population of the US:
Coca Cola and Pepsi have the following modus operandi:

1. The Govt. of India notifies certain areas, which cannot support agriculture or other traditional vocations for local people, as "Backward" areas. Companies investing in manufacturing and other job creating ventures in these zones are given tax sops and other benefits.
2. Companies like Coke create factories in these backward area zones(remember the tax sops and the easy access to REALLY cheap labour). Then, they draw whatever little water is available in the area, practically drying up the ground water and bringing the farmers to unmitigated doom.
3. Farmers are given no assisstance, but Coca Cola Company gets to use the water whether there is any for the locals or not.
Rain or no rain, there is water for Coke:www.indiatogether.org/2005/may/env-plachmada.htm

4. After using the water, the toxic waste is released by the company IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD, thereby poisoning the scarce ground water.

5. Afterwards, when the same ground water is used by the cola company, it is obviously polluted and then the company blames the groundwater for the pollution in the drinks and asks the
governments to clean up their groundwater act first.

Local communities do not like to dry up. They also do not like to be the local garbage can.

Read the following articles for more:
http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=7508

www.indiaresource.org/campaigns/coke/2004/Brochure.pdf

www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?ItemID=10641

www.domain-b.com/companies/companies_c/coca-cola_india/20051122_equity.htm

And now, re. the threat:
A. Your companies have not come to India for charity. Each one of those companies have done extensive soil testing of their own, and have gone where they liked best - some have gone to the Phillipenes, some to Indonesia/Malaysia, the majority to China, and some to India. Make no mistake. No one is doing India any favor. Not one of those companies.

B. Your FIIs have been swinging the Indian Stock Exchange for at least a year now.. a manipulation that is so evident even to novices. In the process, they have obviously been making a lot of money. The same, however, cannot be said of the individual small investor in India.

Be my guest, do take back all the "investment" that you have so "generously" given to India, and get the hell out of this country.

We would like to get rid of the toxic waste companies that treat India like the global supplier of cheap labour and the global toxic waste dump.

Guess what? India survived when you in your shining armour were not around.. and India can survive again.. without the McDonald's of the world.. and be more healthy... Thank you!

10 comments:

Wriju said...

Great post. You have certainly got me interested - I am going to do some serious reading on this.
I wish we could do something about it - something Erin Brokovitch-ish.

Kingfisher sounds so much better already!

Rajat Grover said...

Great one..

I never knew, you reaearch so much..............

Good job....

Shruti said...

hey dude...
thats an intresting one as more companies are coming to india this can really effect the scenerio.
n abt the government laws n coke war,we cant predict wat the govt,s next step as more n more states are banning it.

Movie Mazaa said...

Quite an evocative post!!

:)

Nothing to do with the controversym but I also would like to say,

പുതുവത്സരാശംസകള്‍!!

Happy New Year, in Malayalam. The New year starts in kerala tomorrow, and thought I wud wish u a wonderful year ahead!

:)

Known Stranger said...

i like y0ur aggression. I really liked it. I was talking to one of my co employee here in my company how we have survived from every ban the world tried to impose. We are self sustained.. only now we are afraid if we will be dependent like any othe country on america and other countries as we are becoming lamed or gettin used to easy life by western world.

Yet - i said - we how ever goes to ashes - we will rise..we may or may not be super power - but we are not italy or rome or london or france or germany to peak up as the eternal race and then die with no roots - we will sustain how ever we get banned.

your aggresion makes a point. In 1971 during indra ghandi regim or i dont know moraje deasi - she boldy banned cola from india unles there will be collabration in ind a. not sure of the content but some one did . i think india should be bold - ask them to get lost to sell in their own country.

govt should not allow another east india company in new form. just need to tell - see guys - if you wan to do business in our land - this is what we will say - if posible do the busines if not find any othe country. we will live with our own. you a* *** have got super saturated in your cpountry and trying out and this is my condition if you cna do if not get lost - but will we get anothe bold indra ghandi to take a strong decision . okie i am not pro indra ghandi but in my view she is bold to make a decision like jayalalitha

Nishu said...

Same thoughts!! Of course, blood boils when you listen these bloody tactics of USA to push its filthy things in India. I'll never drink coke or aerated drinks in my life again.

(^_^)

How do we know said...

Hi Wriju: And where has your thinking cap taken you so far? Erin Brokovitch-ish....count me in!!

hi Rajat: Thank you!

Hi Shruti: lets wait and watch!

hi Velu: Happy New Year to you too!!(though I cant say it in malyalam!)

Hi Mojindro: I went back to your blog, and found that really cool too!

Hi Known Stranger, Nishu: Thank you.. we already have a club! :-)

A Arora said...

:) i always was philosophical. maybe u never noticed it before. sometimes we disguise ideas in rantings of ourselves. it becomes much easier to write about them that way. then sometimes we let go of the self and cling to the idea. maybe that's what i'm trying to do now...

Movie Mazaa said...

Hiya there

Just came around, checking for a new post!

:)

mathew said...

that was a vehement take on the multinational..
Hope you must be aware of people's protest that happened in Plachimada plant of Coke in kerala..It is possible to drive em out!!!