After 2 years, stir for closure of Coca-Cola unit resumes

Hoshiarpur, October 10

The agitation demanding the shutting down of Coca-Cola factory on Una road, started again today after a break of two years under the patronage of environmentalist Veer Pratap, alias PK Rana, and the NGO Safal Bharat Guru Parampara. The agitation continuing since the year 2018 was postponed because of the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic.

Since 2018, the movement had been continuing under the leadership of Rana as a part of the campaign to conserve the groundwater in Punjab. In the course of agitation, Veer Pratap was also arrested. Later, the movement had to be suspended because of Covid-19.

The activists of the protesting organisations allege that underground water is being exploited indiscriminately by the Coca-Cola factory, due to which there is a danger of groundwater shortage in Hoshiarpur. They allege that since the establishment of the factory, groundwater level in Block Samiti Jahankhelan and surrounding areas has gone down by 50 to 60 feet. The residents of the area say that groundwater in their area has also started getting contaminated, but the administration is not paying any attention to it.

Rana said that on the one hand, the government prints huge advertisements and organises programmes to create awareness about the depletion of Punjab’s declining water table, while on the other, they cooperate fully with commercial companies in extracting groundwater.

Police arrangements were made outside the factory to keep the demonstration under check, but Veer Pratap, Teerth Johal, Rinku Dallewal, Rinpi Allahabad, Sohanlal, Joginder Pal, Monu Jahankhelan, Anu Marwaha, Ajay, Aman, former Sarpanch Tharoli Amar Jeet Singh, Manjit Singh Panch Tharoli, Daljinder Pannu Jahankhelan etc raised slogans outside the Coca-Cola factory.

They demanded that the construction work of the new unit being set up in the factory should be stopped with immediate effect. While giving an ultimatum to close the factory by October 16, they said that an indefinite dharna outside the factory would be started with the cooperation of local residents and farmers.

Veer Pratap appealed to Punjabis and all social, environmental and religious organisations to co-operate in conserving the groundwater of Punjab from contamination and depletion so that the state can be saved from its harmful consequences.

Drive to conserve groundwater

Since 2018, the movement had been continuing under the leadership of environmentalist Veer Pratap as a part of the campaign to conserve the groundwater in Punjab. In the course of agitation, Veer Pratap was also arrested. Later, the movement had to be suspended because of Covid-19.