Resentment is brewing among victims of the groundwater exploitation and pollution caused by Coca-Cola at Plachimada village of Palakkad with the Union Home Ministry returning the Plachimada Tribunal Bill passed unanimously by the State Assembly without forwarding it to the President for his assent.
The Ministry was sitting on the Bill ever since it was passed in 2011. It was only last week that the Ministry returned the Bill to the State government directing it to approach the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
‘‘The Plachimada Coca-Cola Victims’ Relief and Compensation Tribunal Bill, 2011, was passed unanimously by the State Assembly. A Bill passed by a State legislature should have been forwarded to the President for assent within six weeks. The Centre’s refusal to do so was unconstitutional. We strongly believe that the Cola giant has influenced the Union government for not implementing its provisions,’’ said Arumughan Pathichira, leader of the Plachimada Samara Samithi. According to Samithi chairman Vilayodi Venugopal, the direction to approach the NGT was part of a concerted effort to deny justice as the State government and the local community had already given satisfactory replies to queries from the Tribunal.
He said the holding up of the Bill further in order to favour an American company would cause erosion of people’s faith in democratic polity and the federal character of the Constitution. Moreover, it was causing huge injustice to the residents of Plachimada, who had already suffered a lot.
The Bill, the outcome of a protracted people's struggle, saw the Coca-Cola unit being closed down in 2005.
Call for concerted effort
‘‘The issue requires rallying together of the State government, MPs from Kerala, and all political parties. Only a concerted effort can ensure justice,’’ said Indyanur Gopi, former chairman of the Plachimada Struggle Solidarity Committee.
