Adivasi Samrakshana Sangham

&

Plachimada Struggle Solidarity Committee

A Call To Struggle….for Water….for Life

Plachimada reels under water shortage. Chittur taluk where Plachimada is located, was declared a ‘notified area’ on 19 November 2005 under the Kerala Ground Water Act. The area was classified “over exploited.” This followed the poisoning and depletion of ground water by Coca Cola. In 2004, the Supreme Court Monitoring Committee on Hazardous Waste ordered Coca Cola to provide piped water to the affected families in Plachimada. Coca Cola never carried out this order. Instead of taking action against Coca Cola, the government declared the Rs.4 crores Plachimada Water Project a year back much to the relief of the people of Plachimada. Coca Cola too must have rejoiced.

A year went by after the government announced the Plachimada Water Project. But the project is not even conceived. If there were no funds available for the project, why was the project announced? To cheat the people? To appease Coca Cola? Once again the government betrays the people.

Till date the government has not taken any step to prosecute Coca Cola for any of their numerous violations of numerous laws. Coca Cola has been allowed to pillage and pollute ground water making huge profits. It destroyed lives, livelihood and ecology. The government allowed the criminal Cola to romp free. Its victims continue to be victimized. Our struggle for water, a source of life, continues….

We, the plachimada Struggle Solidarity Committee demand:

v     Plachimada Water Project must be completed in a time-bound manner to urgently remedy the water-shortage;

v     Take immediate measures to prosecute Coca-Cola for environment contamination and pollution, and water-pilferage;

v     Recover the compensation due from Coca-Cola company for destruction of water, lives, livelihood and destruction of ecology.

Mayilamma, the legendary pillar of Plachimada Struggle, left us to carry the mantle of the struggle on 6 January. We carry forward her legacy… for the right to water and right to live with dignity.

On this day, the 6 January 2010, we march and hold a dharna before the Palakkad District Collectorate at 11 A.M, remembering her.

We request the participation of all in this peoples struggle to survive with dignity.

In Solidarity

 Veloor Swaminathan and Mariappan, Convenors, Adivasi Samrakshana Sangham Veloor House, Kannimari, Kannimari P.O, Palakkad District, Kerala 678 534

&

R.Ajayan, Convenor, Plachimada Struggle Solidarity Committee, Neerajam, Kudappankunnu, Thiruvanathapuram – 43, Kerala

Address: Veloor Swaminathan and Mariappan, Convenors, Adivasi Samrakshana Sangham

Veloor House, Kannimari, Kannimari P.O, Palakkad District, Kerala 678 534 & R.Ajayan, Convenor, Plachimada Struggle Solidarity Committee, Neerajam, Kudappankunnu, Thiruvanathapuram – 43, Kerala