The Coke Machine - Michael Blanding [185]
Page 247 same slogan Gandhi used: “Conference Asks Soft Drink MNCs to End Water Exploitation,” The Hindu, January 22, 2004.
Page 247 ten-day march of some one thousand villagers: India Resource Center, “Police Attack Coca-Cola Protest, over 350 Arrested,” press release, November 25, 2004; Nandlal, interview by the author.
Page 248 vow of nonviolence: India Resource Center; “Police Attack Coca-Cola Protest, over 350 Arrested,” press release, November 25, 2004; Nandlal, interview by the author; Vishwakarma, interview by the author.
Page 248 arrested more than 350 people: Nandlal, interview by the author.
Page 248 women who pushed to continue the protests: Vishwakarma, interview by the author.
Page 248 eight hundred people marched right up to the gates: India Resource Center, “Over 800 Protest Coca-Cola in India,” press release, November 30, 2005.
Page 248 first declaring in December 2003: Judgement, Perumatty Grama Panchayat v. State of Kerala, The High Court of Kerala, W.P. (C) No. 34292 of 2003; V. M. Thomas, “Indian Village Claims Victory over Coke in Water Case,” Associated Press, December 16, 2003; Ranjit Devraj, “Greens Jubilant over Verdict Against Coke,” Inter Press Service, December 17, 2003.
Page 248 council had acted without sufficient information: Krishnan and Bijoy, interviews by the author; “Investigations on the Extraction of Groundwater by M/S Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Private Limited at Plachimada,” Final Report, filed before The Honourable High Court of Kerala, February 14, 2005; Judgement, Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (P) Ltd. v. Perumatty Grama Panchayat, The High Court of Kerala, 2005(2) KLT554, July 4, 2005.
Page 248 banned from extracting groundwater: Press Trust of India, March 22, 2004; V. M. Thomas, “India’s Kerala State Bans Coke Plant from Using Groundwater,” Associated Press, February 18, 2004.
Page 248 extract up to half a million liters a day: “This Kerala Village Fights Against Coke to Preserve Its Groundwater,” Hindustan Times, April 16, 2005; “Shareholders Accuse Coca-Cola of Misleading Them on Adverse India Report,” WebIndia123.com, April 23, 2005; “Coca-Cola Moves Kerala HC for Implementation of Its Order,” Press Trust of India, May 16, 2005; S. Anand, “Don’t Poison My Well,” Outlook, May 16, 2005.
Page 249 “The thing is very simple”: Krishnan, interview by the author.
Page 249 court order to renew the license: “Coke Set to Resume Production in Kerala,” Indo-Asian News Service, June 7, 2005; “Panchayat Rejects Coke’s Plea for Two-Year License,” Press Trust of India, June 13, 2005.
Page 249 “divulge all of its ingredients”: Krishnan, interview by the author.
Page 249 resist the reopening of the plant by any means necessary: Ajayan and Bijoy, interviews by the author.
Page 249 injuring six while arresting seventy: “Anti-Coke Protesters Lathicharged,” Press Trust of India, August 15, 2005.
Page 249 plant couldn’t reopen: “Kerala Pollution Board Orders Coke Plant to Close,” Hindustan Times, August 20, 2005.
Page 250 “would at least win”: Banerjee, 143.
Page 250 even more pesticides in Coke and Pepsi: “Pesticide Cocktail in Coke, Pepsi Brands, Says Study,” Press Trust of India, August 2, 2006; Amelia Gentleman, “Pesticide Charge in India Hurts Pepsi and Coke,” New York Times, August 22, 2006; “Soft Drinks, Hard Truths—II,” Centre for Science and Environment, August 2, 2006.
Page 250 banned the sale of Coke and Pepsi: “Sale of Coke, Pepsi to Be Banned in Kerala,” Press Trust of India, August 6, 2006; “Karna Bans Sale of Cola, Pepsi, Kerala Production,” Press Trust of India, August 9, 2006; “Anti-Coke Lobby Rebukes US Statement on Cola Ban in India,” Hindustan Times, August 18, 2006.
Page 250 “This kind of action”: “Anti-Coke Lobby Rebukes US Statement on Cola Ban in India.”
Page 250 no authority to ban imported products: “Kerala High Court Stays Government Ban on Sale of Coca-Cola and Pepsi,” Hindustan Times, September 22, 2006.
Page 250 “Whatever the technical reasons”: Ajayan and Bijoy, interviews by the author.
Page 250 When Neville