PALAKKAD: The action council against Coco Cola has asked the state and Central governments to take necessary action as per law to get proper compensation for the victims of pollution caused by the company in Plachimada here. They said here on Friday that the issue regarding the Plachimada plant did not end with the company stating before the Supreme Court that it had decided to windup the unit in Plachimada in Perumatti Panchayat here.
The company had told the apex court on Thursday that they had wound up the plant and the court closed the case regarding the civic body denying permission for the plant citing pollution by dumping toxic waste in Plachimada and environmental issues like the drastic fall in groundwater in the region caused by over exploitation of groundwater by the company. The company that was opened in 2000, shut down in 2003 after protests and denial of licence by the civic body. However, it has not paid a single penny as compensation to the people who suffered the pollution and environmental hazards till now.
The state Assembly had passed the Plachimada Coco Cola Victims Relief and Compensation Claims Special Tribunal Bill on February 24, 2011. However, the Central government turned down the Bill citing the state did not have powers to come up with such a legislation and in 2016, the President also sent back the Bill without giving it the stamp of approval.
Action Council leader Arumugan Pathichira said that even after the failure of the legislation, the governments had the power to seize the assets of the company in Plachimada and cases could be registered against the company by invoking SC/ST atrocities Act for putting in severe hardship for Dalits in Plachimada. Besides that, the Pollution Control Board could invoke Water Act against the Cola officials, he noted.
