Left outfits oppose Coca Cola plant

A conglomerate of left and social outfits, including CPI and CPM, today held a demonstration outside the secretariat here demanding scrapping of the MoU signed with Coca Cola for its proposed plant in Dehradun, saying it will adversely impact agriculture in the area.
Noting that agriculture has been badly affected by bottling plants of the beverage giant wherever they have come up in the country, the outfits under the banner of Coca Cola Virodhi-Jan Pratirodh Manch demanded immediate scrapping of the MoU.
The MoU signed over a month ago by the state government with the multi-national firm for a Rs 600 crore plant at Charba in Dehradun district sparked protests by locals and environmentalists who maintain that the plant will adversely impact the ecology.

CPI's national council member Samar Bhandari told the protesters that the beverage giant can't be allowed to plunder the state's natural resources in the name of development.
CPM state secretary Vijay Rawat also warned that mindless commercialisation of natural resources will have dangerous consequences.
CPI, CPI (ML), CPM, Uttarakhand Mahila Manch and Uttarakhand People's Forum were part of the conglomerate.