The intention of this blog is to bring all the visits into a single space (by the way earlier visits were sent across to Crude woman -the dustbin was working on the “
meh kya chatoongi?” framework. It is about exploiting the situation for personal gain, an affliction. It has fixers, exaggerations, trivialization...so on. It took me sometime to understand these miserable people). Liberal values in Indian context is an easy game, it is when the progenies venture from these cozier home ground to the murkier terrain of post liberalism that the claws start to show.
Despite the fact that ground water exploitation by the exploitative products has been well documented there has not been much policy framework to prevent these since years (atleast that is what Mr KJ Joy-
Forum for Policy Dialogue on Water conflict in India-told me the other day). It is amazing.
These writings are cut paste from what i wrote many years back, those days i was bit excitable, and is reflected in the style of writing (the readers will have to tolerate it), it’s just the way i was. With age catching up i have become quite sober and restraint, so will not be using the language the way it is used here. So bear with me.
At Kaladera (Rajasthan):
I happen to visit Coca-Cola factory at Kaledera, Rajasthan in 2004 October (this piece was written at that time). It’s around 2hrs travel in local bus from Jaipur to a junction from where one has to catch a jeep, which drops you 2kms from the industrial area where the plant is located. Earlier I read an article in the Times of India at the hotel reception (jaipur) where I was staying. While the print media from Delhi largely ignored the struggle.
War 
for Water is an article, which emblematizes what McMedia and paid news is all about. If you read it carefully you will realise how an event is reported into an opinion for the exploitative product (in this case, it could be Pepsi too) even with a menacing snap of the product "don’t mess". It reports that coca cola has only 2 borewells. While in a letter on 2nd October (irony of the date is not gone unnoticed) boys at coke responds to news report in a newspaper on Kaladera march Sunil Gupta the marketer thug at coke writes that not many people took part in the march as reported. True but it’s much more than what he claims ten times to be exact (it's less considering that around 7000 people are listed as voters) Many people particularly school children were prevented from participating in protest march since the police put "regulatory orders". Many villagers also assert that coke "gifted" cops "crates of coke". Despite all this one member from majority of families did participate as the school teacher said "people are aware now but we cannot do anything we have our own life it’s for the government to take action". I happen to speak to a villager who participated, one main reason was people didn’t want to loose their daily earning. As the chai wallah who did not participate in agitation confirmed "who will pay for the lose of the daily earning? In fact on the day of protest I had more business ". People around here don’t have the luxury for protest march and attending seminars. The boy from coke also clarifies in the letter that its not 2 but 4 borewells "…and generally 2 wells are used in rotation". How sad. One would expect thugs at coke lamenting through streets of kodambakum (why kodambakum forgods sake?why ask me?. Ask those thugs) with soul rending muruga kapathingu we ave onnly two borewells muruga thandava . But no it will not happen. All is well here with 2 borewells !!. They are sucking 80-90 truck full load of carbonated drink in peak months of May and June to dil mange more for McDonald crowd and "modernity" holes. In the photo are group of people with whom I spend nearly an hour near the jeep stand. This motley group which gathered at teashop had farmers, drivers and even a teacher from a local school. Talking to them was a revelation. They have been keeping tag of the movements of vehicles for some time. Surprisingly none of the shop sell cokepepsi !!.
"So have they tasted the thunder?" Yes they have only once
"meeta gas pani hai". True.
Further there are enough reports to prove how severe the situation is through ground water depletion, it’s causing an ecological disaster. It’s shocking that when people in the same state are facing drought and while protestors are killed by the police "pani chors" are being protected to satiate ab pyaas hai badi of dimwits and rapist minded.
Thugs at coke have "gifted" borewells to villagers, which is useless as the water table has dipped considerably "in last few years after coke
came". In normal language this "gift" is bribe. All the people I met were unanimous that sarpanch was given 10 lakhs rupees. While the MLA was "gifted" with a vehicle-
aat lak ki gaddi . In the international level I am aware of many agreement against unethical business practice. For Multibillion Company like cokepepsi few lakhs is no big deal. And in an impoverished and corrupt society most people can be bought. They have bought the media too. It’s no secret. The issue is certainly not local (the cokepepsi anyone drinks in delhi doesn’t come from borewells of greater kailash) and the attempt of these exploitative and untenable products to "win" over local villager will not work. Infact it’s not working. On the government part, coke is given 24hrs of electricity supply while a farmer only 4-5 hours which also is not very regular. And they extended the no objection certificate (NOC) from 300ml bottle to 2lit bottle and 5litres. They extended the arrangement to 2 more years. Money not only speaks but acts too!
The McMedia "reports" that "majority of people feel that coca cola factory has helped the villagers and the factory by and large has not disturbed their lives". So much of feelings here. This definitely conforms to the brief the coke website declares "Local communities have welcomed our business as a good corporate neighbor." Such a dainty paradise. Where angel winged peddlers and marketeers descent with all goodies. Sorry to spoil the fun of our embedded journyboy, ground reality is different. The mood here can be summarized as bitter. Now when I go through the snaps of these people I am reminded of what I read in the old of issue of
Time magazine, which I bought from a pavement in Mumbai. Ram Charan a columnist writes in
Managing the Best -
"
Robert Goizueta, the late longtime CEO of coca cola, proved that there is no such thing as mature business(??!!). His critical insight was an ability to define exactly what business coke was in –a task that is far harder than you think. For instance he taught his executives that when they set goals for market share, they needed to focus on the share of stomach, not the share of carbonated beverage. His adversary was water, not soda. Goizuetta gave real meaning to the word diversity, developing a multinational talent pool."
The magazine also reports “ in 1998 coke did 1billion serving a day in nearly 200 hundred countries and closely tracked its market penetration in each country, measured in per capita serving (highest in Luxemburg, at 453 servings a year. Lowest in Turkmenistan, at one serving a year). Cokes challenger for world brand supremacy is McDonalds but that’s not a bad thing, either. McDonalds sell just one brand of cola: Coke.” Yah nothing bad here. It’s a fair business. Lovely&fair. Yeaaah it surely is "far harder than we think". Of course water is the main adversary and people who drink water are culprit to be targeted.
The man with whom I spend lots of time was sitting in a tea shop very near to the factory (well I had too many cups of tea!!! It’s difficult to carry on conversing otherwise, one might feel imposing on the shop keeper.). He was the person I liked too (the first snap here). He also liked me since I had walked all the way in midsun (well I couldn’t find a vehicle so walked 2 kms, incidentally forgot my cap too!!). He had retired as driver for a 'saheb in delhi'. His approach to the issue was otherworldly
sansar ek sagar hai yeha kuch na kuch tho hota hi rahata hai. Bad news for pepsicoke this elderly man doesn’t drink carbonated stuff. Even if we assume he does, his share of stomach will be less. As you can see like many people a
round here his stomach size is very small. Some are even severely malnourished. No stomach sharing here. So what’s the marketing strategy boss.
His conclusion to discussion was
atma ko dukh puhchane walla koi kam nahi karna chahiye. His argument was mostly: if it is wrong why doesn’t the government stop it. He extended it to gutka also which even the shopkeeper agreed. I too always wondered why when they know that plastic is dangerous, when they know that crackers are nuisance, they don’t have laws restricting the use (ofcourse one forgets "learned" unclejis at supreme court have much more enlightened understanding on gutkha.
Ab kya bhaishaeb jamai dukhan chala raha hai ab bandh thodi kara sakhte hai so verdicts the supreme judge!!). Every year millions of rupees are spend on ads against crackers (even today’s newspaper carries one by Ministry of environment). School children are gathered. It’s referred to in elite circle as "mass mobilization". The problem here is mobilization is to be done by masses to make the government act and not by government for the people to act!! When anything is irrefutably proved to be wrong then it’s time to restrict, if not stop entirely at one go. They spend money on ads telling us not to misuse electricity. It’s a joke these ads. No middle class ever misuses these basic commodities for the simple reason that they have to pay for it. Few years back where I was staying they didn’t allow even water heater. During winter the house owner (who was 82yr old fellow) got up early morning and stood in front of electricity meter. You switch on something he was there knocking the door. The only people gaining out of these dumb ads are peddlers at the expense of public money.
There is also this contention of "250 illegal soft drink" plants, which seems to be bottling spurious cokepepsi. Maybe but to say that they are using gallons of water will be a joke, further people in this part are not McMinded (feudal definitely). A conservative estimate puts the water extracted in 7 months from March to September 2003 was 1,48,259 cubic meters of water (not to forget the waste produced, and water table dipped to aquafiers around 100 feet). Most cokepepsi guzzlers are tourists. There is a drinking water shortage; access to potable water is a serious issue here. Despite all this it is heartening to note that some places have traditional
sarai providing free water to travelers.
Most of the local brands (like kalagoda etc.) have been wiped out. Local brands that have survived are generally by product of systemic reaction like in Ahmedbad I went to a "muslim" shop and saw this writing: Only
Arabee drink available here. Just for the heck I asked for pepsi. The waiter and the owner stared me as if I have blurted a sin. This obviously was not in response to exploitative nature of pepsicoke but as hatred to American products. Another local brand sosyo (I hope I got it right) managed to survive. I guess it’s a very old brand since it finds mention in menu at local restaurants. While in Mumbai I found bottled flavored milk (and even 'pure' cow milk, it's bottled as that) doing brisk business. I told this man who was running the shop that one doesn’t get bottled milk in Delhi and he started speaking abuse about dilliwallas, which was a shock I guess I touched some raw nerve there. I didn’t wait to find if it was a habit. In western coast also there is "health" drink made from Kokum which is quite popular but sales no doubt are dwindling.
The strangest thing that I saw at kaledera coke plant was there was no sign of the corporation insignia (in snaps you can see). The only mention is on the wall, which is almost peeled off about the waste management efforts (Another joke which is well documented in kerala). Cokepepsi spend millions of dollars on ads (off course everything from that 2 small borewell. Who’s kidding?) But when it comes to their plant presto they are hiding. This surreptitiousness is not surprising. Thugs have that mindset. As villagers said "pani chor". The only ad in the 3km vicinity is next to where that old man sat near the tea stall 500 meters off the plant which quite appropriately announces
Jo chahe ho jaye. Such arrogance. Such blatant exploitation. Scoundrels have come in the form of investment and all the better future for us.
A retailer in pokharan mentioned that police has raided the plants of local brands. The reason it seems was they were manufacturing "substandard product". It was "health hazard" (so cokepepsi Ladies and Gentlemen are torchbearer of standards and healthy life in this part of the world. While Outlookwalle mehtaji will vouch for “within 30minutes instant modernity”! One is feeling very ignorant these days I guess I have to learn lots of things. Probably I need to spend some time with peddlers-for acclimatization, before meeting marketeers.). The retailer also said that the "margin through local brands were better for them. Cokepepsi gave less". So the argument on employment and retailer benefit is also too shallow. Anyway these definitely are not the issue when larger population (and often marginalised) are fighting for right for basic livelihood and food security. It’s about community rights. The ruling of the Kerala High court is notable here. It says that water is the birthright of people. Even if the surface land may belong to individuals, the underground water is a common inheritance of all living beings. All the administrative machinery has a responsibility to protect this invaluable treasure of nature. Thus save the underground water from being exploited and depleted. The government has to redefine the meaning of "investment" in context to exploitative products for not only the present but future generation. Catering to the hedonistic lifestyle of few at the expense of larger impoverished section as also very fragile environment is counterproductive. Threat to basic need very often leads to social crisis. I am sure we have heard about sustainable development in many seminar (I must add most sustainable development seminars have excellent menu!!. Keep it up babus) well its time to practice some of these theories. Now is the time to practice it.
PM Manmohan singh was reported to be unusually ecstatic on hearing Bush winning the election. It’s obviously is a case of “wee bit unhinged". I am told it’s quite a common syndrome in elite circle. Yesterday the PM said in Hague that we will encourage "investment in totality". Will the PM (or any appropriate authority, if he is too busy) care to listen to the voices of common people and take a "hard look" ? The "totality of investment" concept is creating ecological-very soon socio-political problem. Will the government which has been elected to keep the interest of common man stand up and do the needy?. Even though Water is in State List, Parliament has power under Union List (56) to intervene for " law to be expedient in the public interest". Afterall it’s the Union Government that gains through Corporate Tax. Afterall. All after!!!.
At Mehdiganj (Uttar Pradesh)
It was on a very sunny bright morning that I decided to visit Mehndiganj, the site of protest by villagers against Coca Cola plant that has seriously depleted the groundwater of the region like anywhere else where these exploitative products have set up their shops. It is shocking that common people have to pay more for water which is basic needs and survival than these MNCs for luxury product not even consumed by most people of the region
(inset photo of Coca cola Pepsi man!!). It is equally shocking that there are no laws to prevent these exploitations. Till recently there was no much concern about land being taken from poor people for ‘development’, many had to sacrifice their life to make the government hear. Thousands of people have recently taken out a march to Delhi so as to force the complacent government to formulate laws. The ‘rising india’ with sensex touching 20000 doesn’t have a land policy (don’t even mention land reforms!! I really would like to know the ginni coefficient of India). And the PM I am told is ‘embarrassed’ over nuclear deal not being passed and the commies are ‘not very embarrassed’… all for the nation sake, the kinds of sacrifice these leaders do!!. There are no concrete laws regarding exploitation of natural resources for profit, it is a non issue when GDP and investments are bench marks of progress.
Pepsi- Coca cola have recently taken up the cause of water harvesting, teaching us mortals on these subtleties of conservation is joke gone too far. Many marketers who have gained from these and other exploitative and demeaning products/ads have also taken up ‘causes’ having fatten themselves, this is a new trend ‘the give back thing’, kind of PR work!!. People are not amused they want stricter laws not patronizing gestures by armchair intellectuals and the city based ‘activists’ with specific aim of stampeding studios and public space or some incentives from the government-it’s about building the clout. What shocks me is why is that people from these backwards region living in abject conditions have not become Naxalites and blown up these exploitative plants, Coca cola Pepsi have no business sucking public water. People in this part of the world have amazing tolerance, it is straining though (It is gladdening that Coca cola is kicked out of plachimada. Hurray for that). There is a need for policy on natural resources particularly water that forms the most basic need and therefore fundamental right. And the policy be very well the Law- transparent and understood by people.
Mehndiganj story is no different. Located at about 20 Kms from ancient city of Varanasi, it is a small fertile village few Kms inside the main road. There is no transportation to the village, I had to hitch hike a two wheeler already occupied by two people, the youngsters were quite glad since I had asked for Nandlal Master. Nandlal Master is a weaver who took up teaching children of the area and has since spearheaded the cause; he is a prominent and respected figure (also coordinator and founder of Lok Samithi. Email is napm_up@yahoo.com) and has also trained many youngsters for employment. After a bumpy ride I was dropped in front of a newly painted modest house. I had expected a elderly if not middle-aged man but Nandlal turned out to be a young man in his twenties, he had too many incidents to relate of how people expected him to be older!!.
Nandlal Master explained that the issue in Mehndiganj is multifold apart from exploitation of groundwater and pollution, there is a case of illegal occupation and evasion of taxes by Coca Cola. The Coca cola plant at Mehndiganj was
bought from Parle in 1999, till then the extraction of water was ‘within limits’. After Coca Cola bought this plant it has been withdrawing 5Lakh liters of water per day using heavy duty borewells. According to a study the water table of the region has dropped by as much as 9feet, in a recent study the table has drooped further to 18feet (till 2006). The hand pumps with no or less water has increased from 7% to 43% in last few years. Also read
Thanda- Hearted Matlab: Coca Cola in India by Shira Wolf (April 2005),
Marching in the spirit of Gandhi –A case study into Gandhian elements of Lok Samithi movement in Mehndiganj (Dana Van Breukelen).
Second is the issue of pollution, the hazardous sludge from the factory has seriously affected the productivity of land in the region, frustrated by lack of accountability by the government agencies the villagers dumped the sludge at UP pollution control board office. Later the test conducted by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has shown it to contain high level of lead (up to 538mg/kg), cadmium (up to 86mg/kg) and chromium (134mg/kg). Here in the photo Mr. Nandlal shows the sludge provided by Coca cola to Pollution board (which the protestors got hold of through RTI, after denied) and how it is different from the sludge they dumped. Coca Cola true to its character did try its best to scuttle the issue. Since then the Coca cola is dumping its waste in a nearby village (bikharipur- I bet this village is inhabited by SCs & other impoverished people, coca cola got its caste card right!!).
Third issue faced here is the illegal occupation of land by Coca Cola. Court has found it guilty and has issued notices to vacate. In 2005 the pradhan of Mehndiganj, Ram Jivan Patel was dismissed by DM of Varanasi for illegally handing over the land to Coca Cola, he was bribed to sign the documents by Coca Cola (lucky fella since in Gangoikondon they killed the panchayat president- of course will never be proved).
Later that day after tea and home made savories, Mahendra a young man who also volunteers for
Lok Samithi took me to Coca cola premise on his bike. As I was taking photos the guards warned me of dire consequences. Mahendra kept the engine running so that I could get away. But I decided to confront the burly guard ‘if I have the freedom to take the photos of Rashtrapathi bhavan why can’t this damn factory? Is it holding national secret?”. The guard, poor man, requested not to create problem for him. And so we moved on and I was dropped to the bus stand. No boondh boondh kushi kushi here!!.
Post Script: it is interesting that some metro based NGO (dealing with education) tried to buy Nandlal and his NGO (of course they were shown the door). This is precisely how they function usurping the hard work of common people and their commitment, dedication…and package it for their gain and clout. It is a huge business in cities, adept in their game they work with remarkable dexterity. They sniff for saleable, media attuned, chic issues that also have an international audience. AIDs, even issues of women are elitist to elicit western response, Discriminations in west of 'people like us' ...are trendy issues. Then of course there are those poor people our heart beats for but no, no mudding hands, we drop in for photo op or we could discuss (surely an event- they are even ready to fly to different cities!) them in our sanitized backyard!!. So where is the menu chef?!!
At Plachimada (Kerala):
Last week I visited plachimada (in palakad kerala) Traveling is one real fun. But same not true when it comes to staying in 75Rs per day rooms at seedy lodges. Sometimes it can be really be very dirty and sleep can be nightmare. Previously I used to get skin rashes now my body has become immune to these but bedbugs are one real mess. Visiting plachimada was revealing for me in many ways. I met Mr. Venugopalan of PUCL who actually spearheaded the movement when the residents started facing serious problem, as the coke factory became fully functional. With things deteriorating (stinking water adding to the woes) the local people, majority of whom are tribals (which means marginalized in the majoritarian led political set up, this probably one of the main reason why coke set up its sucking machine here) organized themselves. On April 22, 2002 first peaceful demonstration was held, quite appropriately inaugurated by Ms.C.K.Janu. The first official block was they were asked to vacate the shed constructed, which was taken over by the Police Force. The original site is now Police camp (they gotta save poor people at coke u see who are just trying to suck some water!!). Thousands of people participated in the demonstration many whom were employees of coke!!. So the next thing the coke did was to summarily terminate their service. Around 50 people were asked to leave. These people who lost their job then went in for separate strike. After much dillydallying coke took them back but this time another strategy, and that was massive employment scheme to local people particularly to the main activists in the movement. Boys seem to have taken maslow bit too seriously. As is the case with most theories it is never practical. Most people refused the offer. Now these are not people who have big money or contacts but poor casual labor. Their commitment is admirable. It is a fight for their basic needs. It is fight for survival. And the boys at Coke are facing McGregor's stick!!!. It also to be noted that before the protest the company paid (for 8 hour shift) the labors 60Rs (for men) and 40Rs (for women). This was increased to 100Rs and 80Rs respectively. As you can see the rate for women was almost doubled, a bait since most protester were women. Women are in most cases put in severe pressure due to water shortage. It is also interesting to note that Government of India in November 1999 raised the Minimum wage to 45 Rs from existing 35Rs. If the information I have is true then coke has been violating minimum wages rules. Further what about equal pay for equal work?. Why women are paid less??.
On the 50th day of the protest there was some violence. The protestors dumped the effluent from coke factory which stink like rotting carcass and dumped it at the gates of coke factory( they should have send a packet each to celebrities who come in cokepepsi ads. as also those who gain indirectly from this misery). The police resorted to violence and excessively abusive. They were including women and children were hauled into police vans "like dogs". The protestors showed extreme restraint despite the provocation from the police force. Many people were injured. Since then they have done many marches. The day I went to meet them was 1148 th day of silent non violent protest. It is be noted that most people are daily wages laborers with no financial security. So they sit in the strike by turn as the other go for work. It is now reduced to symbolic presence. Just an hour before Ms. Ajitha the legendray ex-naxalite visited (she is one person I really wanted to meet. I have heard so much about her since childhood that she is more of a mythical character for me!!). As I was interacting with the protestors news came that (ex-MLA Mr. Krishnankutty himself brings the news) that the panchayat has cancelled the license. There was a minor celebration!!. There is also in recent times a divide in the political parties as the protestors want the pepsi factory located few Kms away at puthusheri to be closed. Pepsi factory is in sparsely populated area so the some political party don't see the gain!!!. But nevertheless it is a matter of time before they are closed. Water is a public property and the people have the right to protect their increasingly fragile environment. We have lot to learn from the indigenous way of life. I here point to incredible people: Bishnois. The world needs to know and appreciate these people. They have very beautiful understanding and they are the reason we live. They don't live for us.
The
Outlook magazine did some mischief in providing space for trashing their own article by Cokepepsi !! Such is the power of money. Such is the "power" of media. Many others in the "free media" have altogether refused to identify the problem, tabloids are their main news. The henchman here is one Murthyboy who invites the readers to "experience the world class practices implemented (at coke)" . Thanks for the invitation but people not dumb. Water is sucked in and trash is given out. Water is not yours, trash is yours. In that case why they are not adhering to the demands of the panchayat. This is an untenable product. Why not this "world practice" be taken to fields of Sweden or Las Vegas. Why create misery for already impoverished for a luxury product for indulgent?. Why not drill water from chanakya puri or juhu.
Outlook walle Mehtaji even has the audacity to come in a TV channel and say things like "…I don't know why we Indians give too much importance to western media like Time magazine??…they are just laughing their way to bank….". Sure Mehtaji and what has any of the "popular mainstream " magazine and newspaper got to do with realities of this nation except maybe as fringe news and peripheral alien world existence (this is not to deny that there are some incredible columnists in all the magazines and newspaper i have come across. Why don't they come together and create something new!!). I am sure Mehtaji has heard the word: Power. Trinngg. Trinngg. Rings the bell!!!. Ditto. Time magazine is powerful than you can ever be. As a national magazine is more powerful than any local magazine can be. Simple as that. So stop whining and "behave professionally". Also I as a common man do not have much faith in a system that is the product of socio-historical reason. The power structure here is not necessarily on competence. The publishers will definitely not allow any disturbing the applecart over kamai. For the same reason I have more faith in international media. So I use the globalized means to express my anguish as is experienced by majority of people in this nation. Fashion parades do have its space but not the kind it is given (don't know if there is no much media glare how people like crude woman spent her precious time!!). In this context I am ecstatic about the developments in South America particularly in Bolivia. Yes. Great. Time to kick out that thin slime of elites mostly byproducts of colonizers who have been sucking on the people. The beautiful people who knew so much: The Indians. This is beginning of history. Just the beginning. The way Che prophesized. Just the way it should be. USA has lots to answer in quelling the democratic movement in south America. Why there is no significant presence of "indigenous, aboriginal" people in the decision making sections of Australia and New Zealand??.
This is global fight and the truth has no option but to win. It will take its own time but win it will. That is how the world will be balanced. It is going to be a paradise. Below are some snaps I took at plachimada with some explanations.
Photo one: this is spot of crime. It covers 34 acres of precious land. Few years back people in this region had no much water or environmental problem. Majority of people are adivasis (or "indigenous" as they say).
Photo two: this is Mr. Shaktivellu who is casual labor and one of the forefronts in the protest. All the details regarding the movement were provided by him. He is against violence but doesn't rule it out in future. "this exploitation has to stop…we want to live". His means of income is very limited but he is committed to the cause. "water is my basic need and I don't want anyone to give it me….this our land…..this is our water…".
Photo three: this is a place few kms from coke factory, where I dropped for tea. They don't have problems which plachimada faces. They have friends and relatives in and around plachimada whose life has become miserable after the coke started to suck the water. Yes if given job in coke they will take!!. Well we live in a world where people even kill for money so what are "insignificant" environmental problems. Of course showing smoking scene is important part of "creative expression". I didn't know Indian film industry is hinged on smoking scenes on the screen. Such an outcry!!!. Poor poor people. By the way I got spondylitis both lumber and cervical (severe one.….its really is very painful) by traveling in unreserved compartments of train!!!. Yes we should remove unreserved compartments. Yes puerile. Very much liking I do!!!. Liking I do very much!!!
At Padathur in Shivganga District (Tamil Nadu):
Padathur is small village around 10Kms from the Shivganga district HQs, it is also an hour and half’s drive in Bus from the famous temple town Madurai. Padathur is a quiet little hamlet with some very poor people; there are bricked as well as thatched houses. The place is known for a sugar factory- Sakthi Sugar Mills. The village has a small temple at its entrance with a penchant for bells….it is possible that Gods here favor the offerings of bells or is it that people have de
cided among themselves that Gods are pleased with offering of bells?. There sure must be an interesting story here. As it was mid noon, quite hot and sultry I didn’t really find anyone around (except one who was sleeping under the tree, there were also some shops nearby) to ask these, further I had got this infection -conjunctivitis and my eyes were burning so I didn’t want to spend too much time here. Puduthur is a very unlikely place for any action. Sakthi Sugar Mill is 3kms interior and decided to walk the distance- as public transport are once in an hour, every few minute sugarcane laden truck headed towards the Mill. Later I happen to interact with a farmer who had come to sell his truck load of sugarcane- he treated me to a tea and dry peas ‘because I was the guest he the host’ he said. He refused to be photographed. He mentioned that sugar was sold to mill at the rate of 1050Rs per ton. That’s like one Rupee a Kg!!. Which I thought was less. But he was quite satisfied with the price “a good quality cane will weigh a Kg…one rupee is not much but ok” he clarified. I also congratulated myself for managing a conversation in Tamil, a language I was speaking after quite a long time. The road to the mill was well tarred for an impoverished village, clearly it was meant for the mill. The main occupation of the people seems to be collecting water -the activity people engaged in, even in the hot sun. People had to walk a distance to collect water as you can see from the snaps. Although the land is basically arid and dry, one spot on the way was green and cultivating sugarcane- a crop one knows is a water intensive. This was peculiar and I saw hose supplying enough water and some villagers crowding to collect water. This inequity is not surprising since Tamil Nadu despite its Dravidian upheaval, Justice movements in early last century has remained quite a feudal society and sometimes violently casteist. Tamilians as I see are one of the most hardworking people but mostly exploited. These are the kinds of place where Cocacola-Pepsi can easily tighten their strangle. In recent times there has been attempt by Cocacola-Pepsi to not be seen as exploiter the reason why they outsourced the sucking of ground water to Sakthi mills. There was a huge offer to Sakthi mills. I spend sometime interacting with the lady who runs a tea shop opposite the mill. She has been running it for last 19 years (or was it 29 years?) from the time the mill had started. The property around her has been bought by the mill, they offered her some money to vacate but she refused. One of her conditions was that her son should be given permanent job at the mill. She earns around 1000Rs per month from the shop which she is better than what casual labours are paid in the mill -around 65Rs for men and 55Rs for women, for a day of backbreaking work.
The Cocacola-Pepsi outsourced water sucking for a month or so (as a trial run) at the rate of 75,000litres a day, but by then people became aware of the mischief. The villagers went on dharna and peace marches, most of the people of village participated, in particular the school children. Unlike at Plachimada in Kerala where the simmering resentment amo
ng the local people manifested itself as an angry protest only three years after the bottling plant began operations, the agitation here was a in a way pre-emptive one. It was alleged that the unit had plans to dig borewells up to a depth of 3,000 feet (900 metres) on the Vaigai riverbed, besides using the unutilised part of the quantum of water permitted (49 lakh litres a day) specifically for industrial use by the sugar mill. The plans would have affected the water supply to Sivaganga, Manamadurai and Thiruppuvanam towns and about 80 villages covered by the Comprehensive Drinking Water Supply Scheme, the requirements of which are now met by water from the Vaigai riverbed. The scheme covers more than 3.5 lakh people. Exposed to acute drought conditions for several years, the people of the district, particularly in the villages, have had little access to water. Finally the Cocacola-Pepsi had to pack their bag and run. A case of successful campaign by the villagers.
At Gangaikondan in Thirunelveli District (Tamil Nadu):
Thirunelveli is a district located in south of Tamil Nadu state not far from western ghat mountain range. Tamiraparani is the river which flows through the region. Gangaikondan is around half an hour from Thirunelveli District HQ. As I got down from the bus at Gangaikondan the first thing which struck me was the place had a very plane surface with shrubs- very few trees or plants, found only
in patches. This is Mars!!. I was told that Coca cola plant was located 4km inside. It is interesting since the Cocacola-Pepsi had made sure that their name is nowhere in the scene and have outsourced the sucking business to very tame sounding South India Bottling Company Ltd (SIBCL, almost a Public sector !! So cute). This funny statement of J. Ramamoorthy, SIBCL's executive director, I came across "We're not Coca-Cola. We're a franchisee. It is totally South Indian owned, and we're bringing in the money. Coca-Cola will merely provide the technology,". Wow. But the people when I asked about where this Company-SIBCL, was located showed ignorance only when I referred coca cola did they recognize!!. Since Cocacola-Pepsi was located in uninhabited surrounding (see in the photos the white spot as you approach that is Coke Pepsi factory!!!) I decided to take an Auto. As you approach the plant you cannot but think it as some alien spaceship!!. I read in a website about how people in this region stumble upon Coke factory, it is quite funny. "I literally stumbled upon the construction when I went looking for my cows," says S. Elosius, a resident of Thuraiyoor. "Here's a company set a kilometer off the road. Even when it's fully constructed, people can't see it," he says. "How can it be that it is the area's largest investment, and I
come to know of it only by accident two months after construction has begun?". Local residents and public interest organizations say there is undue secrecy surrounding the project. Dr. R. Murugesan, a professor and district vice president of the Tamil Nadu Science Forum, has strong words about government agencies. "It is not possible to find out anything relevant about the project beyond what little information the company has made available.
The Pollution Control Board and the District Collector are against public interest. The Collector claims he knows nothing. But we hear that heavyweights in the ruling party are backing the project," he says (statements taken from the Net). The little information I could gather was that the unit covers an area of around 32 acres inside the SIPCOT complex, spread over an area of 2,500 acres in Gangaikondan. The lease period for companies coming up in the complex is 99 years. SIPCOT can draw upto 45 lakh litres per day . The coke unit alone willget 5 lakh litres everyday (there is however confusion regarding this with contradictory claims). The water will be drawn from theTamiraparani river in Seevalaperi, some 14 km from the site. There is something more to it, as I was going through the web sites a pattern I was quite familiar with emerged. The plant is in a depression in an area fed by the Semboothu springs. Groundwater quality in the area is excellent. Parameters such as chloride and hardness are well within permissible levels. If groundwater is used for bottling, purification costs would be very low. Further there only two other industries located on this industrial estate all 2,000 acres of it are empty otherwise!!!.
The reason why the industrial estate is empty is in the socio-historical nature of the place. These information I found in the Net: Residents of the
Manur Panchayat Union, within which Gangaikondan village falls, are predominantly Pallars, a Dalit (former untouchable) caste. The Dalit uprising of the 1990s saw scores settled for centuries-old oppression - primarily with the upper caste Thevars. P. Kirupairaj, a member of Puthiya Thamizhagam - a Dalit political party led by Dr. K. Krishnaswamy - explains the dilemma that Pallar residents face. "The reason why some people support the project is probably because it's been 15 years since SIPCOT started and there have been no takers. Some people feel that this area is being neglected because we're Pallars, and that it is unwise to oppose the first company that comes here. People feel that resistance is futile; that all this is fated and that we don't really have a choice." Kirupairaj however is quick to point out the fallacy in the belief that locals really don't have a choice. "We have won significant victories in our struggle against discrimination. It is known that when we (Pallars) set our minds on something, we persist till we win. We have to make our people aware of the potential benefits and the dangers. Even now, we're not opposing all projects. Only projects like Coca-Cola that pose a threat to our water resources," he says. Quite remarkable these statements considering the socio-economical conditions in which they live.
Lets now look at the events folded since the Cocacola-Pepsi landed here. When Coke first approached Gangaikondan Panchayat President Kamsan for approval, he granted it (don’t be shocked by the name, anti-brahmanical names are very popular in Tamil nadu). He said he had granted permission as the company had all the necessary government approvals. He had not seen the allotted plot or read any of the material that the South India Bottling Company Limited had given him. When the local resistance to the company gathered momentum, Kamsan cancelled the permission given to the South India Bottling Company Limited and also passed a resolution in the panchayat to that effect. Later that day, he passed another resolution giving the South India Bottling Company Limited permission again!!!!. When local reporters grilled him, he alleged that powerful people had threatened him over the telephone. Within few days of this incidence Kamsan died in suspicious circumstances. Most of the people whom I interacted are very clear on who killed Kamsan: ‘’it’s the people at the Coca cola’’. Ofcourse this will never be proved, they have enough money and clout.
On Republic Day this year, gram sabha meetings -- which all villagers attend, as opposed to panchayat meetings, in which just the ward members and the panchayat president are present -- were held all over Tamil Nadu. At the Gangaikondan
Gram Sabha meeting, a resolution was passed to cancel the license given to the South India Bottling Company Limited plant. The Manur Block Union -- which includes the Gangaikondan Panchayat -- was convened under heavy police cover. It approved the license given to the plant. Thus, the gram sabha verdict stood nullified. So although majority of people were against coke the Block Union which involves fewer people passed the resolution, quite democratically one must add. The apprehensions of the people did find echo in here too. "We don't know the full details of the project. This is the first big investment in our region. We can't reject the first investment that comes our way. We need the jobs," says A. Rajesh Babu, an elected councilor in Manur Panchayat union (from the Net). A section of local residents, particularly elected members of local governments have extended their support to the company. They argue that the company will bring much-needed jobs and boost the local economy. Company spokespersons go one step further to say that if the company runs into trouble here, other investors will refuse to set up in Gangaikondan. Ironically, the veiled threat of economic "untouchability" or a flight of capitalists comes less than a decade after Gangaikondan and nearby villages witnessed a three-year spate of bloody caste violence in the mid-1990s to end the practice of untouchability. Gangaikondan's fear of becoming "economically untouchable" seems to be one of several issues clouding what may be genuine concerns about the impact of a project that extensively uses local water resources (from the Net).
However in last year or so protests by locals have gathered momentum. Many local residents, political parties and environmentalists have raised concerns that the water-intensive plant will deplete and contaminate groundwater, and draw from Tamiraparani river that cannot fully meet even drinking water and agricultural needs of local communities. Local farmers are angry at even that amount of water being taken away from them. Various political parties as well as a broad range of groups, such as the South Tamilnadu Merchants Association and the Tamilnadu Government Employees Association participated in a rally, indicative of the growing discontent over Coca-Cola's operations in India. Interestingly a delegation from Gangaikondan visited Plachimada in early August 2005.
The argument of those opposing the project, like other places I visited, has to do with the fact that drinking water and agricultural requirements are not currently being met by the water allocations from Tamiraparani River. "Charity begins at home," says S. Sunderaraja Perumal, president of the District Congress Committee Tirunelveli (Urban). "Within the Tirunelveli corporation limit, there are four to five places where people take to the streets because they get no water or insufficient water. They are all Scheduled Caste (Dalit) people, some of whom live within 30 meters of the river. How can you take water for Coca-Cola when you haven't even provided drinking water to your population?" the Congress leader questions (taken from the Net). Perumal says he is not opposed to drawing Tamiraparani water for drinking purposes. "They're taking water for drinking water needs in Kovilpatti, Sankaran Koil. We're not opposed to that. But water cannot be put on sale to a company that uses water as the raw material and sells water as a product. 500,000 liters of water can comfortably take care of the water needs of 5000 people within Tirunelveli town," he says. R. Krishnan, a member of the Communist Party (Marxist) and former member of the state legislature, echoes Perumal's sentiment: "The difference is that this company is treating water as a raw material and selling it. That is wrong. SIPCOT's 4.5 million liter requirement is for the basic needs of industries that will come up in the industrial estate. Earmarking 10 percent of the total water intake for one company that occupies just 31 acres of a 2000-acre industrial estate is ridiculous." (taken from the Net).
While returning I had a cup of tea at a shop opposite the industrial estate. He was busy as a group of people had just ordered tea. What he m
anage to say was “people are against Coca Cola”. On the bus an elderly man smiled from the crowd. He was around 55 to 60 years and not wearing much cloth, a torn blue banyan, chek mundu and a plastic bag. He had a sturdy short body and a great smile. “ oongalle standill patha chu……(translate) I saw you at the auto rickshaw stand. You wanted to go to coca cola?.....did you go?” he asked. I nodded.
“I used to work at coca cola….”.
“Why you left the job” I asked.
“They gave only 70Rs per day now I work at a place where I get 100Rs and much less work” was his reply.
This is surely a statement on claims of employment generation by Cocacola-Pepsi (we know how bogus it is…meant to divide people). Further what is the cost of natural resources they steal??. While getting down the man informed with an endearing smile that his name was Kasumuthu (money boy literally!) and I could call him for any job I needed him for. I wanted to take his photograph but it was too crowded and secondly I rarely take photos of the people on their face. I am very uncomfortable about it….it feels like objectifying people. While they speak I surreptitiously take out camera and click, almost an apology! They see it and laugh. I guess mobile phone cams are least intrusive, I am thinking of saving some money and buying one! Coming back to Kasumuthu he reminded me of
Nanook of North!! (the legendary Robert Flaherty’s classic silent movie of 1922). The only difference being that he lives in surroundings where technological benefits are available unlike Nanook. But his life is still as tough as Nanook of North. Kasumuthu is Nanook of South!! At 60 odd age that is a real wrenching life.
Thande ka thadka.
