Local commissioner to inspect Coke's UP plant

The National Green Tribunal has appointed a local commissioner to inspect the premises of beverages major Coca Cola's Hapur plant in Uttar Pradesh and probe whether it was discharging effluents into a nearby pond.

The green panel directed Coca-Cola to pay Rs 20,000 as fees to the court commissioner and asked him to videograph the work done, and file his report.

"Considering the gravity of the allegations, made against each other and its impact on the merits of the matter before us, we appoint advocate Palash Agarwal as a court commissioner to visit the premises of Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverage Pvt Ltd."

"He will carry out the local investigation as regards to the boundary wall of the said company in the presence of the applicant and a representative of Respondent No. 4 (Coca-Cola) and place before us the fact concerning the photographs," a bench headed by judge U D Salvi said.

The direction came after petitioner Sanjay Kumar, who has sought restraint on the alleged illegal discharge of untreated waste water, submitted photographs before the bench, showing effluents being released from northern side of the boundary wall of the premises into the pond.

The counsel appearing for Coca-Cola refuted the claims and asked the tribunal to appoint local commissioner to inspect the site in question and submit correct facts with regard to the boundary wall of the company.

The matter is listed for next hearing on April 21.

Coca-Cola had come under the scanner of the tribunal after it issued notice to the company last year, after finding "alarming facts" in an inspection report of Central Pollution Control Board.

The green panel had also directed Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt Ltd to submit a drainage map of its plant in Hapur district, giving details of sewage and trade effluents generated from the factory.

The Tribunal was hearing a plea by one Sanjay Kumar seeking restraint on the alleged illegal discharge of untreated waste water into the pond situated behind the Hindustan Coca Cola Beverages plant in Hapur.