The Kerala high court will hear on Monday two separate petitions filed by Coca-Cola and PepsiCo against the state government’s order banning the manufacture and sale of their flagship products.
KOCHI: The Kerala high court will hear on Monday two separate petitions filed by Coca-Cola and PepsiCo against the state government’s order banning the manufacture and sale of their flagship products.
The soft drinks majors have claimed that their products are safe and no scientific study has shown the presence of any harmful content.
Kerala became the first state to ban Coca-Cola and Pepsi last week as several other states banned aerated drinks in educational institutions and hospitals after a study revealed pesticide contents in 12 brands.
Although the order was notified last Friday, the companies were awaiting the notices before moving court. Coca-Cola filed its petition on Wednesday. Pepsi’s was filed on Thursday.
Both companies have a factory in Kerala.
“Independent tests at accredited laboratories in and outside India have clearly shown that our beverages are absolutely safe, and there is no basis for this ban,” a Coca-Cola statement said. “We have shared the results of these tests with the Kerala government, but they have not withdrawn the ban.”
The statement asserted that the company’s soft drinks are produced to the same level of purity, regarding pesticides, as the EU criteria for bottled water. The criteria are accepted globally as the most stringent, it said. “Our soft drinks have been regularly tested and evaluated by the world-renowned UK government laboratory, the Central Sciences Laboratories,” Coke said.
Announcing the decision to ban Coke and Pepsi, Kerala Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan had said his government was mulling over the possibility of extending the ban to other brands. The drinks have been banned by the health department under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka government has filed a case against Coca-Cola after an independent test conducted by the state found high amounts of pesticide in samples of the beverage.
The state invoked the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954, to file the case in the small cases court, Health Minister R Ashok said on Friday.
“The tests were conducted in a private lab,” he said. Samples of “12 other brands” are under study.
Karnataka has already banned the sale of 11 brands of aerated drinks within 100 metres of schools.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}