Pac-Man-style game inspired by conflict between endangered turtles and firm’s deep-water port.
The Delhi high court on Tuesday suggested that international environmental non-governmental organisation (NGO) Greenpeace remove the Tata trademark from its online video game Turtle vs Tata.
While slating the next hearing for August 12, justice S Ravinder Bhatt said Greenpeace should consider dropping the depiction of Tata as a demon.
The court’s suggestion came after the NGO’s counsel sought time to file a reply and said they will consider removing the trademark.
A defamation suit was filed by the Tatas, seeking damages of Rs10 crore for the wrongful use of its trademark in the game. Greenpeace’s Pac-Man-style video game was inspired by the conflict in coastal Orissa between the endangered Olive Ridley turtles and Tata Steel’s deep-water port in the area. In the game, launched by the NGO about a month ago to coincide with the 30th anniversary of Pac-Man, the player is a turtle that has to eat as much healthy food as it can, avoiding the Tata ‘demons’ that threaten its home.
According to Greenpeace, Tata Steel has been building a deep-water port less than 15km from one of the biggest nesting sites of the endangered turtle. But, the Tatas stated that they have all clearances from state departments and demanded an apology.
The Tatas’ petition stated, “The aim of the colourful and noisy video game is to help the yellow turtles eat as many little white dots as possible without running into Ratty (presumably referring to Ratan Tata, chairman of the Tata Group), Matty, Natty or Tinku…
The NGO has not only infringed the trademark rights of the Tatas, but is also maligning the reputation of the company, thereby injuring the same in their profession.”
The Tatas have maintained that the construction of the port does not violate the forest conservation act and that it has stood by an environmental assessment of the location carried out in 1999, when the port was first proposed.
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