My opponents might argue that even if every other thing we consume is adulterated it does not absolve the cola companies. I agree it does not.
But is banning it the only solution.
Tobacco has never been banned in India, though its health hazards are well known.
So the cola companies should be asked to carry health warnings on the bottles as in the case of cigarettes, bidis, and snuff. This will make the citizens aware of what they are consuming and than if they want to continue it is their wish. After all ours is a democratic nation.
A few months ago, the Centre for Science and Environment did a study of bottled water, which was almost as damning as the present study. Was any action taken on the report? Were errant companies punished? Has the quality of bottled water improved since then?why is it that the netas are only taking up the case of the colas. It is obviously because of the publicity associated with a controversy relating a large MNC.
Our concern should be for such people who have no access to protected drinking water and not the minority that is accustomed to drinking colas. Colas are a luxury but water is an absolute necessity.
Another important point in the whole debate is that we have assumed the report of high level pesticides in the drinks tabled by the Centre for Science and Environment to be totally correct.
No I am certainly not questioning the NGO's credibility, but even then; as has been seen in sports dope testing and other forms of testing, there are too often discrepancies in results done by two different laboratories.
When the pesticide residues are present in multiples of what they should be, it seems certain that all cola’s should be banned. But because the figures are going from two to four places of decimals we cannot be sure whether the results are really as bad as they are shown to be.
My worthy friends might also allege that Precious drinking water is provided to these companies by depriving thousands of thirsting citizens. But I would say that it is not the industry’s but our own country’s fault because There are no environmental impact assessments or sitting regulations, so that the industry's use of water is regulated.
To conclude I would like to say that let this house continue to drink Pepsi but let us shift our attention from banning it to other important issues as raised above.
