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Our Bureau

Thiruvananthapuram , Aug. 9

The Kerala Government has decided to ban the production and distribution of Coca-Cola and Pepsi in the State.

The Kerala Chief Minister, Mr V.S. Achuthanandan, told newspersons after a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday that the decision was taken in view of several reports highlighting the harmful effects of these drinks.

Blanket ban

While a few other States such as Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka had recently banned the soft drinks in places such as Government offices and educational institutions, the Kerala Government has decided to impose a blanket ban across the State.

Decision soon

Asked whether the ban would cover all the products of the cola majors, the Chief Minister said that this would be examined and a decision taken soon.

He pointed out that several studies had shown that the drinks contained high levels of harmful substances. The Government had also received a report to this effect from the department implementing the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act. Besides, the issue had been taken to courts.

Uncertain future

The Government's decision has put a question mark on the future of the production units of Coca-Cola and Pepsi in the State. Coca-Cola is operating a unit at Plachimada and Pepsi at Puthussery, both in Palakkad district.

The local people have been agitating against the units, especially at Plachimada for the last three years demanding their closure on the grounds that they caused environmental pollution and depleted the drinking water sources in the surrounding areas.

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LDF for ban on colas in Kerala

More Stories on : Beverages | Policy | Standards & Benchmarks | Kerala

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