After the furore over pesticides in colas died down, cold drink giants have got more support, this time from Ministry of Water Resources.
Ministry of Water Resources blames agricultural pumping instead.
NEW DELHI: After the furore over pesticides in colas died down, cold drink giants Coca-Cola have got more support, this time from Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR).
Clearing the company of charges of depleting ground water, Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz said studies carried out by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) found that “agricultural pumpage is contributing the maximum for decline of groundwater”. The minister’s statement came in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha.
While CGWB does not do any micro-level monitoring of ground water pertaining to Coca-Cola units in each states, the Minister said it undertook a special study at Plachimada, Chittoor Block in Kerala, and Kaladera in Govindgarh block in Rajasthan where the company’s factories are located. The company has faced protests and agitations with allegations of sucking these places dry.
In Plachimada, Kerala, ground water withdrawal for irrigation was found to be 92.6 per cent of the total, whereas for the industry it was only 3.5 per cent. Moreover, while the water level in Chittoor block was 11.6 metres below ground level (mbgl), in Plachimada, where a Coca-Cola factory is located, it was 7.7 mbgl.
At Kaladera, irrigation accounted for 81.3 per cent of ground water withdrawals while industry took 12.6 per cent. The maximum decline in water table in Govindgarh block, 17 metres was at Itawa Bhopji village “located far away from the Coca-Cola company”.
“Around Kaladera industrial area, in Govindgarh block, decline of less that 10m in water level was observed during the same period,” said the Minister.
Soz said that water being a state subject, any action to check the quantum of ground water withdrawal is to be taken by the states. The Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) regulates extraction of ground water by new industries only in the over exploited/critical areas, he said. It has also notified 20 “severely over exploited areas” in the country for regulation of ground water development and management.
Of the 5723 ground water resource assessment units (blocks/mandals/taluks), 839 are “over exploited”, meaning the stage of ground water development is more than 100 per cent; another 226 are critical.
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