The Kerala Assembly today enacted a legislation to set up a special tribunal to realise compensation from Coca-Cola for the losses its plant at Plachimada caused to the people of the area.

The Government rushed through the Bill on the final day of the current Assembly session while the House was in uproar as the UDF opposition headed by the Congress was pressing for an adjournment over another issue.

The legislation was brought in based on the recommendations of a high power committee, which found that a huge loss of Rs 216.16 crore had been caused by the Hindustan Coca Cola Beverages Pvt Ltd’s plant in Palakkad district.

The panel suggested creation of an exclusive tribunal to make the company pay on the basis of the ‘polluter pays’ principle.

The bill said the plant had caused environmental and soil degradation and water contamination due to over-extraction of ground water leading to drinking water scarcity and decline in agricultural yield due to disposal of sludge which contained metals like cadmium, lead and chromium.

It said the sludge disposal also affected the health of the people as it caused skin ailments, breathing problems and other debilities.

The special tribunal was intended to settle all disputes on problems caused by the plant within a fixed time limit.

The Plachimada plant has been virtually dysfunctional for the last several years following prolonged agitations by resistance groups including tribals and legal battles against the extraction of ground water by the company.

The State Government had also banned production and sale of the cola but it was lifted later following a High Court order.

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