Pepsi bottling plant may access water with police protection amidst allegations of groundwater shortage

By A Representative
In an extraordinary development, reports from Tamil Nadu say that PepsiCo's bottling plant, situated in village Suriyur, has sought police protection for water being trucked in to a disputed plant located in a water-stressed area. In statement, India Resource Centre (IRC), a project of Global Resistance, has said, the plant is sure to “receive police protection”, considering the type of governance prevailing in the state.
An advocacy group, IRC, which is helping a local community campaign to shut down the plant, says, “Local residents and farmers claim there have been water shortages of increasing severity in the area ever since the plant began operations in 2011”, adding, “The plant is run by an Indian company, LA Bottlers, and operates under a contract with the US-based PepsiCo to manufacture Pepsi beverages in the plant.”
Alleging that the plant has been “operating illegally since March 2014”, the IRC says, “LA Bottlers has been in trouble since early last year, as its State Pollution Control Board's permit for ground water abstraction expired on March 31, 2014 and has not been renewed”. It adds, “The company also lacks the required land conversion permit which would allow it to operate as an industry in an agricultural area.”
According to IRC, “The community stepped up its protests against the bottling plant earlier this year, and 47 people were arrested on January 26, India's Republic Day, during a protest in the town of Tiruchirapalli (Trichy), the district's headquarters. The next day LA Bottlers applied for an order for police protection from the Madras High Court. The order was approved and delivered to the panchayat (village council) president on May 7.”
“On January 29”, the IRC further says, “Local authorities responded to the growing protests by sealing the bore wells which provided the plant with groundwater to meet all its production needs, and the bottling plant has not operated since. But now LA Bottlers is seeking to resume production, trucking in water from outside the immediate area.”
This is happening despite the fact that, the statement says, the company also has a “case pending before the High Court where it is appealing to be allowed to operate - in spite of its failure to obtain the two permits required by law.”
Blaming sharp drops in groundwater levels on the Pepsi plant, the IRC says, “Local leaders have resolved not to ever allow the company to recommence its operations. Farmers in the area have experienced sharp drops in groundwater levels, dried-up wells, extra expenditures to deepen existing wells and loss of income as a result of reduced crop production due to water shortages.”
It quotes Vinothraj Seshan of Thanneer Iyakkam, a group at the forefront of the protests, as saying, "Pepsi's bottling plant has drained the water away from the farmers in the area, and there is a lot of suffering as a result". He adds,"It is outrageous that a private company like Pepsi will receive police protection to bring in water for profit while depriving the surrounding community of water.”

Comments

When democracy becomes a performance: The Tibetan exile experience

By Tseten Lhundup* I was born in Bylakuppe, one of the largest Tibetan settlements in southern India. From childhood, I grew up in simple barracks, along muddy roads, and in fields with limited resources. Over the years, I have watched our democratic system slowly erode. Observing the recent budget session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, these “democratic procedures” appear grand and orderly on the surface, yet in reality they amount to little more than empty formalities. The parliamentarians seem largely disconnected from the everyday struggles faced by ordinary exiled Tibetans like us.

Civil society flags widespread violations of land acquisition Act before Parliamentary panel

By Jag Jivan Civil society organisations and stakeholders from across India have presented stark evidence before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj , alleging systemic violations of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013 , particularly in Scheduled Areas and tribal regions.

Beyond the island: Top mythologist reorients the geography of the Ramayana

By Jag Jivan In a compelling new analysis that challenges conventional geographical assumptions about the ancient epic, writer and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik has traced the roots of the Ramayana to the forests and river systems of Central and Eastern India, rather than the peninsular south or the modern island nation of Sri Lanka.

Dr. Ram Bux Singh: Biogas pioneer’s legacy gains urgency amid energy crisis

By A Representative In an era defined by a global energy crisis and a desperate search for sustainable solutions, the visionary work of an Indian scientist from the mid-20th century is finding renewed, urgent relevance. Dr. Ram Bux Singh , a pioneering figure in biogas and renewable energy , is being posthumously honored by the Government of India, even as his decades-old innovations provide a blueprint for today’s challenges.

Alarming decline in India's repair culture threatens circular economy goals: Study

By Jag Jivan A comprehensive new study by environmental research and advocacy organisation Toxics Link has painted a worrying picture of India's fading repair culture, warning that the trend towards replacement over repair is accelerating the country's already critical e-waste crisis.

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

Manufacturing, services: India's low-skill, middle-skill labour remains underemployed

By Francis Kuriakose* The Indian economy was in a state of deceleration well before Covid-19 made its impact in early 2020. This can be inferred from the declining trends of four important macroeconomic variables that indicate the health of the economy in the last quarter of 2019.

Protesters in UK cities voice concerns over alleged developments in Bastar region

By A Representative Demonstrations were held across several cities in the United Kingdom on March 28, as groups and activists gathered to protest what they described as state actions in India under the reported “Operation Kagar.”

Food security? Gujarat govt puts more than 5 lakh ration cards in the 'silent' category

By Pankti Jog* A new statistical report uploaded by the Gujarat government on the national food security portal shows that ensuring food security for the marginalized community is still not a priority of the state. The statistical report, uploaded on December 24, highlights many weaknesses in implementing the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in state.

Search This Blog