Coke bequeaths cadmium
the Kerala State Pollution Control Board (kspcb), on July 1, 2005, announced the detection of high cadmium content in the effluents of Coca-Cola's plant at Plachimada in Palakkad district. The soft drinks major is already fighting a legal battle over groundwater exploitation by the plant, which is currently not functional. The detection of the heavy metal, a probable carcinogen which also affects human kidneys and lungs, could further weaken its case.
The Kerala High Court (hc) had ordered the plant's closure on March 9, 2004, in a case filed by the Perumatty gram panchayat. But the hc lifted the closure on April 7, 2005, after imposing certain conditions. This order was based on an expert committee's report on the quantum of groundwater that can be drawn without causing groundwater depletion in the area(see Down To Earth,