Just last year, Coca Cola was held liable for Indian Rupees 216 crore (US $48 million) for damages caused by its bottling operations in Plachimada. The approximation did not include other measures that were taken into consideration later on regarding its harm done on the environment as well as the lives of millions of people residing in India. The plant located in Plachimada remained shut down since March of 2004 because of fierce community led campaigns that attacked the justifiability of water abuses caused by Coca Cola.

"We welcome the Committees recommendations and now state government must find the political will to implement the recommendations", claimed R. Ajayan of the Plachimada Solidarity Committee. The Hindustan Coca Cola Beverages Private Limited, or HCBPL, a subsidiary of Atlanta based Coca-Cola Company had significantly harmed the water and soil of Plachimada.

The report put forward claimed that not only is the company just responsible for the depletion of water resources but also the long term affects that the Company had on agricultural losses, health problems, loss of wages, and even loss of educational opportunities. It was also recommended that the government create a ?dedicated adjudicating agency? like that of Claims Tribunal in order to put such compensations forward under the legally binding powers of the Environment Protection Act.

Hence, such an alarming news should not only be a wake up call for Coca Cola. Many multinational companies must now become aware to the extent of their influence on the environment if not the lives of millions of people.

The 6^th Eco-generation Ambassador to India

Un Hyung Lee