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Indian   Coke, Pepsi Laced with Pesticides, Says NGO 
   
  By Ranjit Devraj
  Inter Press Service
  August 5, 2003

NEW DELHI — One in every of India’s main voluntary   businesses, the Middle for Science and Atmosphere (CSE) mentioned Tuesday that gentle   drinks manufactured in India, together with these carrying the Pepsi and   Coca-Cola model names, comprise unacceptably excessive ranges of pesticide   residues.

The   CSE analyzed samples from 12 main gentle drink producers which are bought in   and across the capital at its laboratories and located that every one of them   contained residues of 4 extraordinarily poisonous pesticides and   insecticides–lindane, DDT, malathion and chlorpyrifos.

“In   all of the samples examined, the degrees of pesticide residue far exceeded the   most permissible complete pesticide restrict of zero.0005 mg per liter in water   used as meals, set down by the European Financial Fee (EEC),” mentioned   Sunita Narain, director of the CSE at a press convention convened to announce   the findings.

The   degree of chlorpyrifos was 42 occasions increased than EEC norms, their examine confirmed.   Malathion residues had been 87 occasions increased and lindane–recently banned within the   United States–21 occasions increased, CSE scientists mentioned.

They   added that every pattern was poisonous sufficient to trigger long-term most cancers, harm to   the nervous and reproductive programs, beginning defects, and extreme disruption of   the immune system.

Samples   from model leaders Coca-Cola and Pepsi had virtually related concentrations of   pesticide residues within the CSE findings. Contaminants in Pepsi samples had been 37   occasions increased than the EEC restrict whereas its rival Coca-Cola exceeded the norms   by 45 occasions, the identical findings confirmed.

The   chiefs of the Indian subsidiaries of Coca-Cola and Pepsi had been fast to refute   the fees made on the press convention. Sanjeev Gupta, president of   Coca-Cola India, known as the revelations made by CSE “unfair” and   mentioned his firm was being subjected to a ”trial by media”.

“All   Coca -Cola merchandise are repeatedly examined for security norms. That is   unacceptable,” he mentioned over the phone.

Gupta   and the chief of the Pepsi India, Rajiv Bakshi, have known as for an   unbiased inquiry led by India’s high scientists to settle the problem.

Coca-Cola,   the world’s “Most worthy model” at $70 billion, is already   defending costs made by British Broadcasting Corp Radio four final month that   waste sludge distributed to farmers from its plant at Plachimada in southern   Kerala state has excessive concentrations of the poisonous steel cadmium.

In   a joint press convention by Pepsi and Coke right here Tuesday night, Bakshi and   Gupta mentioned they had been considering authorized motion in opposition to the CSE as a result of the   revelations had harmed the trade.

“We   count on a short lived setback for a few week or so after which we’re positive the   shoppers may have the identical confidence in us they’ve all the time proven,”   mentioned Bakshi. However Narain mentioned the CSE stood by its findings.

Six   months in the past, CSE introduced findings that just about all bottled mineral water   manufactured in India, together with manufacturers owned by Pepsi and Coca-Cola had   giant quantities of pesticides. This led to an enormous authorities crackdown.

At   the time, Delhi state well being minister A Okay Walia, a professional doctor   himself, upheld the CSE findings and its laboratory. “They (CSE) are   utilizing delicate, internationally accepted strategies,” he mentioned.

CSE   scientists H. B. Mathur and Sapna Johnson, who had been current on the press   convention, mentioned their primary inference was that, as with the bottled mineral   water, the gentle drink producers had been drawing their water provides from   groundwater that’s closely contaminated by years of indiscriminate pesticide   use.

Excessive   pesticide residues had been reported in groundwater round Delhi two years in the past,   when the federal government’s Central Floor Water Board (CGWB) and the Central   Air pollution Management Board (CPCB) carried out a examine which additionally reported   extreme salinity, nitrate and fluoride content material in addition to traces of lead,   cadmium and chromium.

Unbiased   surveys have proven that faucet water within the capital drawn from the Yamuna river   and handled by Delhi Jal Board, the state-owned water utility, was loaded   with micro organism that may trigger cholera, typhoid and hepatitis. It additionally   contained unacceptable quantities of solids and dissolved matter.

Narain   mentioned it was not simple to take the businesses to court docket as a result of they cover behind   a “meaningless maze” of presidency laws in regards to the   manufacture of sentimental drinks, that are fully ineffective and designed to   assist the gentle drink trade somewhat than shoppers.

The   Prevention of Meals Adulteration (PFA) Act of 1954 and the Fruit Merchandise   Order (FPO) of 1955–both aimed toward regulating the standard of contents in   drinks – don’t even present scope for regulating pesticides in gentle   drinks.

Lax   requirements on meals merchandise are cited as one cause why India has not been   in a position to make a dent within the worldwide market. Final week, a European company   ordered alerts on chili powder imported from India as a result of samples had been discovered   to be adulterated with banned carcinogenic dyes.

Considerably,   the CSE laboratories examined samples of sentimental drink manufacturers popularly bought in   america as control–and discovered that they didn’t comprise any   pesticide residue.

In   2001, Indians consumed over 6.5 billion bottles of sentimental drinks Their rising   recognition implies that kids and youngsters, who glug these bottles, are   ingesting a poisonous potion, activists say.

CSE   discovered that the laws for the highly effective and large gentle drinks trade   are a lot weaker, certainly non-existent, as in comparison with these for the bottled   water trade. The norms that exist to control the standard of chilly drinks   are insufficient, leaving this “meals” sector just about unregulated.

So   pampered is the profitable gentle drink sector that it’s exempted from the   provisions of business licensing below the Industries (Growth and   Regulation) Act, 1951.

A   one-time license from the ministry of meals processing industries features a   no-objection certificates from the native authorities in addition to the state   air pollution management board, and a water evaluation report.

There   aren’t any environmental affect assessments or sitting laws, so the   trade’s use of water is just not regulated.