Karnataka Government drags Coca Cola to court

The Karnataka Government has filed a criminal case against multinational beverage manufacturer Coca Cola for selling soft drinks containing a high level of pesticides.

Karnataka’s Minister for Health and Family Welfare R Ashok said the State Government had carried out independent laboratory tests on Coca Cola soft drinks recently and found the level of chemical pesticides in it to be higher than the permissible limits.

“We bought a bottle of Coca Cola from a general shop, took a receipt for it and submitted the bottle to tests at a fully equipped private laboratory in Bangalore. Government technicians conducted the laboratory tests. It was found that Coca Cola contained chemical melathene to an extent of 0.142 parts per million against the permitted 0.1 parts per million”, Ashok said.

The criminal case against Coca Cola has been filed under the Food Adulteration Act at a city court in Bangalore.

Ashok said the Karnataka had become the first state in India to file a case against multinational soft drink manufacturer for the high level of pesticide content in the beverages manufactured and supplied by them.

He said the Karnataka Government had submitted for tests the samples of all the 12 carbonated drinks identified by Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment as having a high concentration of pesticide.

“We have received the results for Thumps Up and Mirinda, both of which have a higher amount of pesticide content than permitted. We will be filing cases against the manufacturers of these two drinks also separately”, he said.

With a view to protecting the health of children in the State, the health and family welfare Minister said the Government would shortly submit samples of all the 500 odd local brands of carbonated drinks available in Karnataka for similiar laboratory tests.

Though Karnataka has already banned sale of soft drinks in educational institutions, hospitals and government offices, the Government was also toying with the idea of implementing a total ban like the one in Kerala.

“We are studying the guidelines issued by the Kerala Government. After consulting legal experts, we will try to put a similiar blanket ban in place even in Karnataka”, Ashok said.